Brown Amy, Jones Sara, Griffiths Catrin, Jones Wendy, Weaver Gillian, Shenker Natalie
Centre for Lactation, Infant Feeding and Translation (LIFT), Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
Faculty Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
J Hum Nutr Diet. 2025 Feb;38(1):e13405. doi: 10.1111/jhn.13405.
When premature infants cannot receive their own mother's milk, donor human milk (DHM) is the first-line recommended option, with growing demand for DHM use outside of neonatal units. To meet the potential need, we need to consider whether DHM supply can increase. This study aimed to explore the reasons that prevent women who wish to donate their milk in the United Kingdom from doing so to understand which barriers may be modifiable.
Women who wanted to donate their milk but did not do so completed an online survey. Open and closed questions examined the response they received, their reasons for not donating and what they did with any milk that they had already stored.
Out of 732 mothers, 391 (53.4%) did not enquire as they did not think it was possible for them, 218 (29.8%) enquired but were told that they could not donate, 59 (8.1%) enquired but decided not to proceed and 64 (8.7%) received no response. Reasons for being told they could not donate included the use of certain medications, infant age, inadequate staffing, geographic barriers and incorrect storage. Process aspects (e.g., blood tests, practicalities) and lifestyle limitations led mothers to decide not to donate.
Although some women will be prevented from donating due to medication or health issues, investment in milk banking staffing and infrastructure and awareness campaigns could increase DHM supply, enabling guidelines to extend eligibility criteria for receiving DHM such as for late preterm infants, gestational diabetes or to support low maternal milk supply.
当早产儿无法获得其母亲的母乳时，捐赠人乳（DHM）是一线推荐选择，且新生儿病房外对DHM的需求不断增加。为满足潜在需求，我们需要考虑DHM的供应能否增加。本研究旨在探讨阻碍英国有意捐赠母乳的女性进行捐赠的原因，以了解哪些障碍是可以改变的。
想捐赠母乳但未捐赠的女性完成了一项在线调查。开放式和封闭式问题调查了她们收到的回复、不捐赠的原因以及她们对已储存母乳的处理方式。
在732名母亲中，391名（53.4%）未询问，因为她们认为自己不可能捐赠；218名（29.8%）询问了但被告知不能捐赠；59名（8.1%）询问了但决定不继续；64名（8.7%）未得到回复。被告知不能捐赠的原因包括使用某些药物、婴儿年龄、人员配备不足、地理障碍和储存不当。流程方面（如血液检测、实际操作）和生活方式限制导致母亲们决定不捐赠。
尽管有些女性会因药物或健康问题而无法捐赠，但对母乳库人员配备和基础设施的投入以及宣传活动可以增加DHM的供应，使指南能够扩大接受DHM的资格标准，如晚期早产儿、妊娠期糖尿病或支持母乳供应不足的情况。
