1017 Mother- and Infant-Dependent Factors Influencing Breast Milk Donation

Abstract

Background and aims: The objective was to seek mother- and infant-dependent predictors influencing breast milk donation. We sought to create the profile of a Finnish breast milk donor, including information on demographics, lifestyle, breastfeeding habits, health, infant`s health, experienced quality of life, connection with the milk bank, problems while breastfeeding and expressing milk and reasons for and barriers to donating milk.

Methods: Data were collected by a letter questionnaire and patient records of 80 donors and 59 non-donor controls.

Results: The typical donor was young, welleducated, married, a mother of two children and healthy with healthy living habits. Health and rate of pregnancy complications were similar in the study groups. Need for phototherapy was more common and postnatal weight loss was greater in babies of donors compared to non-donors whereas infant`s slow weight gain was later more common among non-donors. Donors were mostly motivated by altruistic considerations. Partner`s support to donation was reported in 95 % of donors and 28 % of non-donors (p <.001). The most common source of information on the need for donated milk reported by both groups was the maternity ward. Difficulty of storing and delivering milk to the milk bank was significantly more common among non-donors.

Conclusions: Most donors are motivated by altruistic considerations. Health care professionals play an important role in motivating mothers to donate milk. Information on need for donated milk should also focus on the fathers/partners. Making milk delivery from home to milk bank easier might increase the number of donors.

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