Evaluation of Human Milk Quality during its Distribution Flow at Neonatal Assistance Units

Abstract

Background: Premature babies have physiological vulnerabilities that influence their absorption and digestion capacity, compromising their clinical condition. Human milk from human milk banks has contributed enormously to providing these newborns with complete nutrition. Objective: To evaluate the quality of human milk collected at the Human Milk Bank during its distribution in neonatal units. Methods: A cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach, was carried out in a maternity hospital with Human Milk Bank. After the pasteurization of milk and its consequent release to these units, a new test was carried out for the analysis of acid titration, caloric and microbiological content. Results: Human Milk showed a decrease of approximately 20% in caloric content and a reduction in acidity. Approximately 12.3% of the samples were contaminated by fecal coliforms. Conclusion: There is a need for a second moment of evaluation of human milk, after the flow, or to rethink the new ways of preserving the initial quality of human milk.