Sociodemographic and clinical profile of human milk donors and their infants in a model human milk bank: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Human milk banking depends on donations and characterization of donors seems important. We aimed to determine prevalence of human milk donors and profile of regular donors and their infants.Methods: Cross-sectional study done on human milk donors in model HMB in tertiary NICU for six months. Donors who had donated for more than 30% of their hospital stay considered as regular donors. Their sociodemographic and clinical profile along with their infant status recorded from history, examination and health records.Results: Prevalence of Human milk donors in our HMB was 71.3% and that of regular donors was 27.08%. 616 eligible to donate. 234 regular donors included separating 382 defaulters. Excluding 17, 217 regular donors enrolled. Religious beliefs did not deter donation. 65.43% had school education. 90% donors belonged to middle socioeconomic class. Three fourths already had 2 living children. Majority delivered vaginally (62.67%) in health facility offering level II neonatal NICU care (42.86%). Regular donors stayed in hospital with their sick infants for mean (SD) period of 13 (4.21) days. Mean (SD) Post-natal age of commencement of milk donation among regular donors was 9 (3.47) days. Breast-feeding rate was 87.09%. Regular donors had delivered very low birth weight (42.86%), SGA (53.46%) infants who stayed in hospital for mean (SD) duration 18 (6.86) days.Conclusions: The prevalence of Human milk donors in our HMB was 71.3%. Only one third of them were regular donors. No religious barriers for donation observed. Educated socioeconomically secure multiparous donors made sustained donations. Health status and length of Postnatal stay in hospital of mothers and infants seemed to have a bearing on sustained donation.

Factors Affecting the Decision of Postnatal Mothers to Donate Milk at a Government Satellite Human Milk Bank Site, in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

“…Unexpectedly, some South African Muslims favored human milk donation. This was in keeping with researchers’ reports from India and Nigeria, where Muslim participants were willing to donate, emphasizing the diversity of religious beliefs (Balachandran et al, 2018; Iloh et al, 2018).…”

“…The donor pool in South Africa is severely limited by low rates of breastfeeding (Goodfellow et al, 2016) and the high prevalence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), hence adequate characterization of donors is important (Balachandran et al, 2018; Stats SA, 2018). Factors that encourage mothers to donate, and to continue donating, need to be identified and appraised (Pimenteira Thomaz et al, 2008).…”

Donation of women's milk to the neonatology department at the Androva hospital in Mahajanga

“…9 This could be explained by the fact that mothers who had already had other children, had already received assistance in feeding their babies, and had previously been reassured about the characteristics of their milk, quantity and quality. 7 Vaginal delivery was the most frequent, at 86%, similar to what was found in Ethiopia. 3 The initiation of breastfeeding is compromised by caesarean section.…”

“…In terms of the employment status of donors, the majority of mothers were housewives, i.e., 54.68%, which was also found by Balachandran et al in India (75.12%). 7 Housewives may have more time to donate milk than working mothers. In Bordeaux, Hitte et al showed that lack of time was an obstacle to milk donation.…”