A Systematic Review of Muslim Women’s Knowledge, Perception and View Toward Breast Milk Donation and Milk Bank

Abstract

Background: Prematurely born, low birth weight, or sick infants are vulnerable and often do not receive enough breast milk from their mothers. In such cases, donated breast milk from other mothers can be safely stored in a milk bank. However, some Muslim countries have been hesitant to establish milk banks due to religious and ethical concerns. Despite this, a few Muslim nations have established Muslim-friendly milk banks to meet the increasing demand for donated breast milk. Nonetheless, it is unclear whether the Muslim community will fully embrace these efforts. This systematic review aims to gather and appraise evidence on Muslim knowledge, perceptions, and views towards breast milk donation and establishing Muslim-friendly milk banks. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Wiley Online Library, Scopus, Science Direct, ProQuest, and EBSCOhost databases using specific search terms and keywords. The search aimed to identify articles published between 2016 and November 2023 that discuss Muslim knowledge, perceptions, and views regarding breastmilk donation, as well as the establishment of Muslim-friendly milk banks. The identified articles were then screened and retrieved. Results: A total of 2498 articles were initially retrieved out of which only twelve studies met the inclusion criteria and were finally considered for analysis. All the studies were conducted in Middle East countries among Muslim women. The analysis revealed that the majority of Muslim women were not aware of the availability of Muslim-friendly milk banks. They showed reluctance in donating their breast milk due to religious concerns. Moreover, a significant proportion of women expressed their doubts about the endorsement of milk banking due to religious beliefs and concerns regarding the potential transmission of diseases. Conclusion: Recent studies have shown that there is a lack of awareness regarding Muslim-friendly milk banks, and there are also negative perceptions and views about donating breast milk and setting up milk banks. It is important to provide information that can increase women’s confidence and encourage them to participate in breast milk donation and milk bank utilisation.