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. 2019 Apr;15(2):190-197.
doi: 10.1007/s12519-019-00226-6. Epub 2019 Feb 22.

The data and characteristics of the human milk banks in mainland China

Xi-Hong Liu  1 , Shu-Ping Han  2 , Qiu-Fen Wei  3 , Feng-Ying Zheng  4 , Ting Zhang  5 , Hui-Min Chen  6 , Meng Mao  7 ; National Human Milk Bank Group, Children Health of the Chinese Medical Doctors Association; Group of Child Health Care, Society of Pediatrics, Chinese Medical Association
Collaborators, Affiliations

The data and characteristics of the human milk banks in mainland China

Xi-Hong Liu et al. World J Pediatr. 2019 Apr.

Erratum in

  • Correction to: The data and characteristics of the human milk banks in mainland China.
    Liu XH, Han SP, Wei QF, Zheng FY, Zhang T, Chen HM, Mao M; National Human Milk Bank Group, Children Health of the Chinese Medical Doctors Association; Group of Child Health Care, Society of Pediatrics, Chinese Medical Association. Liu XH, et al. World J Pediatr. 2019 Dec;15(6):624-625. doi: 10.1007/s12519-019-00307-6. World J Pediatr. 2019. PMID: 31446569 Free PMC article.

Abstract

Background: Human milk banks (HMB) have been established for over 100 years in North America and Europe. This study aimed to describe and summarize the operation and characteristics of the HMBs in mainland China since the first nonprofit HMB operated in 2013.

Methods: Operation of HMB in mainland China is based on the standards and guidelines of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America and some countries in Europe and was modified to meet the needs and circumstances in China such as donation only in the local HMB by medical staff. We reviewed the descriptive data of these 14 HMBs and the clinical characteristics of recipients, the eligible milk donors and the donor milk retrospectively.

Results: In mainland China, from March 2013 to December 2016, 14 nonprofit HMBs were developed and operational in public hospitals except one and located in the south, east, north and northwest of mainland China. In total, 2680 eligible donors donated 4608.2 L of breast milk. The mean age of these donors was 29.4 years with 60.6% receiving college education and 90.6% term delivery. A total of 4678 recipients including preterm infants (n = 2990, 63.9%), feeding intolerance (n = 711, 15.2%), maternal illness (n = 345, 7.4%), serious infection (n = 314, 6.7%), necrotising enterocolitis (n = 244, 5.2%), post-surgery (n = 38, 0.8%) and others (n = 36, 0.8%). The rate of discarded raw milk was only 4.4% because of hepatitis B and C or cytomegalovirus positivity.

Conclusions: HMB has been developing rapidly in mainland China. Donor human milk was used not only for preterm infants but also for other ill children. But the sustainability of milk banking needs proper management and more financial support by relative health authorities and the government.

Keywords: Breast milk; Donor human milk; Human milk banking; Recipients.

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Conflict of interest statement

No financial or nonfinancial benefits have been received or will be received from any party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The map of HMBs in mainland China. There were three HMBs in Guangdong, and two in Jiangsu. HMB human milk bank
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Disease types of the recipients
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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