Doctors object to companies offering to store cord blood

Doctors in Britain have criticised companies for persuading expectant parents to part with up to £700 ($980) to have blood collected from their newborn baby's umbilical cord to protect against future illnesses when little evidence exists to support the practice.

The possible uses of stem cells from umbilical blood are so limited that the chance of ever needing them is remote for most families, said advisers from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. They accuse companies of exploiting pregnant women by offering them a …