Study note

Human milk banking and pasteurized donor milk

THE CONTEXT

Human milk banking supplies donor human milk to sick and small neonates whose mothers cannot provide their own milk.

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Banks accept voluntary milk donations from lactating women after infection screening.

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Donor milk is cultured to detect bacterial contamination and pasteurized using the Holder method.

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Pasteurized donor human milk is inferior to fresh mother's own milk, but infants tolerate it better than formula milk.

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It retains most macronutrients and micronutrients but lacks many immunocompetent substances present in fresh human milk.

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Pasteurized donor human milk reduces late-onset sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, feeding intolerance, and retinopathy of prematurity.

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It reduces the length and cost of hospital stay.

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Long-term studies report better motor and behavior scores and a lower risk of metabolic syndrome.

NEETx

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