Experience of human milk banking from tertiary care centre of South Rajasthan

Abstract

Background and objective: Human milk bank plays an essential role by providing human milk to infants who would otherwise not be able to receive human milk. This retrospective study was carried out to review the basic characteristics of donors and recipients, and the amounts and contamination of breast milk donated at the human milk bank from a tertiary care hospital in South Rajasthan. Materials and methods: Milk banks collect, screen, store, process, and distribute human milk. Data regarding clinical characteristics of the donor mother and recipients, and collected human milk for a period of 9 months (April – December 2017) were obtained from medical records and analysed. Results: The donor pool consisted of 3117 mothers with total sittings of milk donation being 6787. Maximum number (1763; 56.5%) of donor mothers were recruited from gynaecological indoor units. A total of 789.8 L milk was collected, and 767.4 L milk was processed. There were 1492 neonate beneficiaries. Preterm neonates were the most common beneficiaries. Conclusion: Human milk banks serve a vital function by providing human milk for premature infants, sick or hospitalized infants and others who, for a variety of reasons, would otherwise not have access to mothers’ milk. The use of donor milk is widely endorsed. Additionally, establishing a nationwide network of human milk banking and successfully integrating human milk banking services with newborn care will further contribute to the progress of milk banking and reducing preventable newborn deaths.