(F 254) Many hospitals today in some areas give parents the option to decide what to do with what they call “cord blood” and “cord tissue,” which is the blood remaining in the umbilical cord after the baby is born, as well as some cells from the umbilical cord itself. The importance of this lies in the fact that it contains many “stem cells” that can grow to replace damaged cells in different parts of the body, potentially aiding in the treatment of certain blood diseases and other conditions if healthy. The options are: (1) preserving these cells by storing them in specialized blood banks under family ownership so that siblings, for example, can benefit from them; (2) donating them to blood banks, but under public ownership so that anyone can benefit from them; or (3) disposing of them as medical waste after the delivery. The third option is perhaps the most common one to date. The question here is whether there is a religious issue with the first or second options, especially considering that in most cases, parents cannot know the extent of their need for these cells. – International Institute of Islamic Studies

(F 254) Many hospitals today in some areas give parents the option to decide what to do with what they call “cord blood” and “cord tissue,” which is the blood remaining in the umbilical cord after the baby is born, as well as some cells from the umbilical cord itself. The importance of this lies in the fact that it contains many “stem cells” that can grow to replace damaged cells in different parts of the body, potentially aiding in the treatment of certain blood diseases and other conditions if healthy. The options are: (1) preserving these cells by storing them in specialized blood banks under family ownership so that siblings, for example, can benefit from them; (2) donating them to blood banks, but under public ownership so that anyone can benefit from them; or (3) disposing of them as medical waste after the delivery. The third option is perhaps the most common one to date. The question here is whether there is a religious issue with the first or second options, especially considering that in most cases, parents cannot know the extent of their need for these cells.

Firstly, the umbilical cord is the conduit that connects the fetus to the placenta inside the womb. Its function is to transfer waste products from the fetus to the mother’s circulatory system, where carbon dioxide and urea are excreted from the fetus’s body.

It also carries oxygen and nutrients from the mother to the baby’s blood.

After birth, the remains of the umbilical cord fall off after about ten days, leaving the belly button in place of its attachment point on the baby.

Therefore, it is a tube connecting the mother and fetus in the womb, not inherently part of either the mother’s or the fetus’s body.

Secondly, stem cells are the body’s raw materials, cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. Under suitable conditions in the body or a laboratory, stem cells divide to form more cells called daughter cells.

These daughter cells either become new stem cells or specialized cells (differentiated) with more specific functions, such as blood cells, brain cells, heart muscle cells, or bone cells. No other cell in the body has the natural ability to generate new cell types.

There are various sources of stem cells:

Embryonic stem cells: These come from embryos that are three to five days old. At this stage, the embryo is called a blastocyst and has about 150 cells.
Adult stem cells: These stem cells are found in small numbers in most adult tissues, such as bone marrow or fat. Adult stem cells have a more limited ability to generate various cells of the body compared to embryonic stem cells.
Induced pluripotent stem cells: Researchers have developed methods to reprogram adult cells to behave like embryonic stem cells.
Perinatal stem cells: Researchers have discovered stem cells in amniotic fluid as well as umbilical cord blood. These stem cells have the ability to transform into specialized cells.

Thirdly, stem cell therapy, also known as regenerative medicine, promotes the repair response of diseased, dysfunctional, or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. It is one of the latest innovations in organ transplantation, using cells instead of donor organs, which are in limited supply.

Researchers grow stem cells in laboratories and manipulate them to specialize into specific types of cells such as heart muscle cells, blood cells, or nerve cells.

The specialized cells can then be implanted into a person. For example, if someone has heart disease, the cells could be injected into the heart muscle. The healthy transplanted heart muscle cells could contribute to repairing the injured heart muscle.

(This information about stem cells is sourced from the Mayo Clinic.)

Fourthly, seeking medical treatment and preserving life are encouraged in Sharī῾ah, provided the means do not contravene Islamic law. Islamic law does not prohibit donating blood from a living person (even for those who prohibit organ donation, and I am not among them) because blood regenerates over time.

Benefiting from the umbilical cord after birth, provided the conditions are met, is completely permissible. It can be used immediately or stored in specialized banks for future use. This is not like the case with sperm or egg cells; it is merely a tube containing cells, similar to veins, arteries, and other channels.

In fact, a woman donating her umbilical cord is rewarded as someone who saves a life: “And whoever saves a life, it is as if they had saved all of humanity.” [Al-Mā᾽idah 5:32].

Fatwa issued by Dr. Khālid Naṣr