Shilpa Shetty to store her baby's stem cells

"Stem cell banking gives me the peace of mind for my baby's health. By banking stem cells, my child will have more medical options in the future," Shetty said in a statement.

The 'Baazigar' actress said this is the most precious and personal gift, she and her husband Raj Kundra could think of, for their little one.

Gearing up for the most exciting phase of her life, motherhood, the 36-year-old said, "Motherhood is the best thing that can happen to a woman, it brings a sense of responsibility".

Shilpa would now also be actively involved in creating awareness among would-be parents on the importance of stem cell banking as the brand ambassador of CordLife, Asia's largest stem cell banking network.

With tremendous potential in curing critical diseases, stem cell therapy is regarded as the future of medical science.

Stem cells extracted from the cord blood have positively treated conditions like leukemia, lymphoma, cerebral palsy and thalassemia major.

"As someone who is looked upon as a role model and as a very successful woman in her own right, her decision to bank her baby's stem cells would have the right influence and impact on the would-be parents," Meghnath Roy Chowdhury, MD of CordLife said.

The actress who is now one of the co-owners of the IPL franchise cricket team Rajasthan Royals, had shot to global fame after winning the British Celebrity Big Brother TV show in 2007. PTI NIK CR