[Profile of human milk bank donors and relationship with the length of the donation]

Abstract

Introduction: The promotion of Human Milk Banks is an important social service. The Human Milk Banks depend on donors, and knowing the profile of donors seems quite important.

Objective: To study the demographics and lifestyles of the donors, the reasons or influences for donating, and to associate these variables with the length of the donation.

Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted on 168 mothers who answered the written questionnaire when they agreed to become donors. 98 (58%) responded to the telephone interview.

Results: The mean age was 33.1 ± 4.5 years. Of the total 27.9% lived outside Madrid and 21.4% were immigrants, with 23.7% working full time, 65.3% had a university education, and 96.2% had a stable partner. The main reasons for donating were too much milk (77%), and to help others (75%). The main obstacle was transportation to the Human Milk Bank for 20% of the donors, and for 61% the main reason for terminating donation was due to reaching the end of lactation. A longer donation is associated with: having a term newborn, with birth weight over 1500 g, starting donating early and reconciling the donation to the work situation.

Conclusion: The most common donor profile was a young woman, with university education and a stable partner. Having a term new born, starting donating early, and the conciliation with work is associated with longer donations. Milk pick-up at home would make donation easier.

Keywords: Banco de leche materna; Breastfeeding; Donante; Donor; Human milk; Human milk bank; Lactancia; Leche materna; Prematuro; Preterm.