Hongkongers are increasingly turning to private cord blood banks as 'insurance' for their newborn-babies' future health.
The long-term storing of umbilical cord blood in the event of a health emergency is growing in popularity among new parents aware of potential advances in medical science.
And, despite various consumer warnings, some private cord blood groups operating in Hong Kong say they are thriving.
That is likely because potential new treatments - such as regenerative medicine used to treat brain injuries or juvenile diabetes - continue to spur new parents into using the cord blood banks available here.
This trend may also be inspired by the United States Department of Health's position that regenerative medicine, in which damaged or malfunctioning tissue is replaced, is the 'next evolution of medical treatments'.
As a result, there are three cord blood bank groups in Hong Kong - HealthBaby, Cryolife and, most recently, CordLife.