Farah turns a high-tech mother

Farah Khan and Shirish Kunder believe in keeping up with technology. When the 43-year-old director delivered triplets on February 11, the couple planned beforehand to opt for umbilical stem cell banking a process in which the umbilical cord blood is stored for future use. The process was conducted by Bangalore's Cryo Stemcell.

Farah says she and Shirish had read about cord stem cell banking and decided to go in for it after the birth of her triplets. She adds, "It's a process all would-be parents, who can afford it, should go for. They take the umbilical cord and save it. In the future, if the child falls ill, those cells are used.

Saving the cord blood can someday save your child"s life and help him/her fight many diseases like leukemia, cancer, diabetes and coronary diseases, repair irreparable damage caused by accidental injuries, repair spinal damage in road crash victims and restore sight."

"The blood present in the umbilical cord (cord blood) is used to generate cell stems which help in cell regeneration. It costs Rs 1 lakh for 21 years per baby but Cryo Stemcell very sweetly gave me a discount for one baby," says the new mom.

Farah explains that the stem cells are later used for curing diseases till the age of 21. "The cryogenic centre stores the umbilical cord after it's cut but they have to preserve it within two minutes. There were so many people in the operation theatre and there were three umbilical cords to be cut; we were all a bit tense but it went off smoothly."

"After 21 years, when the child becomes an adult he owns his blood. We chose Cryo Stemcell, as they are the pioneers in their field. It's the oldest and most reputed cryogenic company," says Farah. Today Farah will be discharged and will take her triplets home. "The Jaslok hospital staff, and my paediatricians have been wonderful. I couldn't go home earlier as my stitches needed to heal. The nurses here have looked after me and my babies very well but I am longing to go home now."