Pasteurized Donor Human Milk and Milk Banking Through the Human Milk Banking Association of North America

A systematic review of contaminants in donor human milk

Donor human milk (DHM) from a milk bank is the recommended feeding method for preterm infants when the mother's own milk (MOM) is not available. Despite this recommendation, information on the possible contamination of donor human milk and its impact on infant health outcomes is poorly characterised. The aim of this systematic review is to assess contaminants present in DHM samples that preterm and critically ill infants consume. The data sources used include PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL and Web of Science. A search of the data sources targeting DHM and its potential contaminants yielded 426 publications. Two reviewers (S. T. and D. L.) conducted title/abstract screening through Covidence software, and predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria yielded 26 manuscripts. Contaminant types (bacterial, chemical, fungal, viral) and study details (e.g., type of bacteria identified, study setting) were extracted from each included study during full-text review. Primary contaminants in donor human milk included bacterial species and environmental pollutants. We found that bacterial contaminants were identified in 100% of the papers in which bacterial contamination was sought (16 papers) and 61.5% of the full data set (26 papers), with the most frequently identified genera being Staphylococcus (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus) and Bacillus (e.g., Bacillus cereus). Chemical pollutants were discovered in 100% of the papers in which chemical contamination was sought (eight papers) and 30.8% of the full data set (26 papers). The most frequently identified chemical pollutants included perfluoroalkyl substances (six papers), toxic metal (one paper) and caffeine (one paper). Viral and fungal contamination were identified in one paper each. Our results highlight the importance of establishing standardisation in assessing DHM contamination and future studies are needed to clarify the impact of DHM contaminants on health outcomes.

Operation Status of the Mutual Aid Human Milk Bank for Preterm Infants and Data Analysis

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the matching degree between the donated supply and demand, clinical characteristics of both donors and recipients, along with the operation cost.

Methods

From January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021, the data on human milk donation and usage, the clinical characteristics of donors and recipients, and the cost of each operating center were collected from the Manual Donation Registration Form and Information Management System of the selected human milk bank.

Results

During the four years that the human milk bank was in operation, the volume of donated milk was slightly greater than the volume of consumed milk. A total of 1364 donors donated 2434.63 liters of qualified human milk, for RMB 1,791,000 (USD 257, 202), ie, RMB 385.3 (USD 55.3)/L; 97.8% of the donors were preterm puerperae, and 59% of the donors donated between 1 week and 1 month after delivery. All recipients were preterm infants and received donated human milk for a duration of 9.4 days on average. During the four years of operation, the proportion of donors who had previously received donated milk among all donors showed an overall increasing trend, while the incidence of NEC in preterm infants gradually decreased.

Conclusions

The increasingly optimized structure of donors, the more economical operation, and the fact that the use of donated milk may not affect breastfeeding of the recipients have made it a human milk bank operation mode worthy of promotion.

Factors associated with postpartum women's knowledge, attitude and practice regarding human milk banks and milk donation: A cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Breast milk is the optimal method of human nutrition, and donor human milk is often needed to reduce the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and septicemia in preterm infants and improve their survival rate. Donor human milk is recommended as the first alternative when mothers' milk is not available. The establishment of human milk banks is of great significance to promote the breastfeeding of preterm infants. However, there are insufficient studies on human milk banks and milk donation in China.

OBJECTIVES

(1) To investigate postpartum women's knowledge, attitude and practice regarding human milk banks and milk donation and to analyze the influencing factors. (2) To explore reasons why postpartum women reject milk donation and donor milk.

DESIGN AND SETTINGS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted from February 2019 to July 2019 at two hospitals in Wuhan, a large city in central China.

PARTICIPANTS

Mothers who returned to hospital for postpartum follow-up within six months participated in this survey (N = 1078).

METHODS

Questionnaires were used to obtain sociodemographic data and to determine participants' knowledge, attitude and practice regarding human milk banks and milk donation.

FINDINGS

Of the respondents, 216 (20%) had prior knowledge of human milk banks and milk donation. For the sub-domain of knowledge, the item with the highest correct response rate was the benefit of breast milk, and the item with the lowest correct rate was the acceptance of donor human milk. For the sub-domain of attitude, 811(75.3%) of participants held a supportive attitude for the establishment of human milk banks, and 877(81.3%) were supportive of donating breast milk while 412 (38.3%) were supportive of accepting donor human milk. For the sub-domain of practice, the practice of milk donation was not optimistic as participants lacked interest in donating breast milk and spreading knowledge of breast milk banks, and only 28.3% of participants indicated that they would donate breast milk continuously. Participants' age, educational background, weight of the newborn and having prior knowledge of human milk banks were factors that could positively predict their knowledge, attitude and practice associated with human milk banks and milk donation; medication usage during pregnancy or lactation was a factor negatively predicting their knowledge about human milk banks and milk donation.

CONCLUSION

This study reveals that a majority of postpartum women are supportive of human milk banks and more willing to donate breast milk than receive donor milk. Lack of knowledge about human milk banks and safety concerns are the main factors hindering postpartum women from donating or accepting donor milk. Findings suggest that it is important to enhance public awareness regarding human milk banks as potential resources for life-saving therapy for preterm infants.This information should be disseminated during the early stage of the establishment of human milk banks. Moreover, health education of pregnant women should include the importance of human milk as well as the alternative and safety of donor milk from milk banks, especially for promoting the health of preterm infants and infants who are unable to receive mothers' breastmilk.

Nurse-Driven Initiative to Increase Exclusive Human Milk Feeding by Using Pasteurized Donor Human Milk to Treat Hypoglycemic Term Neonates

OBJECTIVE

To increase exclusive breastfeeding by offering pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) to newborns with hypoglycemia.

DESIGN

Quality improvement project.

SETTING/LOCAL PROBLEM

A Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative-designated urban academic medical center in the northeastern United States serving a diverse population where, by policy, virtually all newborns with hypoglycemia received supplemental infant formula. Approximately 85% of women cared for at this center initiate breastfeeding, but many struggle with exclusive breastfeeding during the hospital stay.

PARTICIPANTS

All staff members in the labor and delivery unit and the mother/baby unit, including registered nurses, unit clerks, patient care technicians, and lactation consultants. Term, breastfed newborns identified as being hypoglycemic per our guidelines were eligible to receive PDHM.

INTERVENTION/MEASUREMENTS

Registered nurses provided education about PDHM to parents of newborns who were hypoglycemic, obtained consent, and initiated the order. We offered PDHM instead of infant formula when mother's own milk was not available in sufficient quantity per our hypoglycemia guidelines. We measured newborns' glucose levels and monitored breastfeeding outcomes, including continued breastfeeding.

RESULTS

During the 4-month trial, 83 newborns were eligible for PDHM. Of those, 76% of parents opted for PDHM rather than formula. Most newborns in both groups were still breastfeeding at discharge, and 53% of those who received PDHM were fed human milk exclusively during their hospital stays.

CONCLUSION

A nurse-driven protocol offering PDHM to otherwise healthy newborns with hypoglycemia is a viable option for increasing exclusive breast milk feeding during the hospital stay.