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. 2023 Mar 9;81(Suppl 1):1-28.
doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuad012.

Recommendations for the establishment and operation of a donor human milk bank

Sertac Arslanoglu  1   2 , Guido E Moro  1 , Paola Tonetto  1   3 , Giuseppe De Nisi  1 , Amalia Maria Ambruzzi  1 , Augusto Biasini  1 , Claudio Profeti  1 , Luigi Gagliardi  4 , Guglielmo Salvatori  1   5 , Enrico Bertino  1   3
Affiliations

Recommendations for the establishment and operation of a donor human milk bank

Sertac Arslanoglu et al. Nutr Rev. .

Abstract

In Europe, an increasing number of human milk banks (HMBs) collect donor human milk to feed preterm infants when their mother's milk is not available or not enough. Moreover, donor milk is a bridge to breastfeeding, with positive clinical and psychological advantages for both mother and infant. Italy, with 41 HMBs actively operating in 2022, has the highest number of HMBs in Europe. The process of human milk donation is complex, so activity of HMBs must be regulated according to well-established rules. The present recommendations have been prepared as a tool to standardize the organization, management, and procedures of HMBs operating in Italy and to determine the minimal essential requirements to establish new HMBs. This article covers all the aspects of human milk donation and human milk banking, including general recommendations, donor recruitment and screening, expression, handling and storage of donor human milk, milk screening, and milk treatment (pasteurization). A pragmatic approach was taken to drafting the recommendations. Items for which there was consensus or robust published evidence on which to base recommendations were included. When there were differences that could not be resolved by reference to published research, a statement of explanation based on the expert opinion of the authors (all members of the Italian Association of Human Milk Banks) was included. Implementation of these recommendations can contribute to promotion of breastfeeding.

Keywords: human milk; human milk bank; human milk donation; preterm infants feeding.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram representing the procedures of a human milk bank (HMB). CCP, critical control point; GMP, good manufacturing practices.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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