During its first six months in operation, the milk bank at the Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria University Hospital in Tenerife has received donations from 41 women, providing 110 litres of breast milk to benefit 58 babies.
The donors’ generosity has exceeded the initial forecast of supporting 50 children annually. This resource has been made available to premature babies and vulnerable neonates, unable to be breastfed by their own mothers and in need of medical prescription.
The hospital, attached to the regional Ministry of Health, stated that the entire process is in accordance with safety criteria set by the Spanish and European associations of human milk banks.
The donation process involves several phases to ensure control over the milk and the donors. It begins with an interview, a health survey, the signing of informed consent, and a blood test.
Once deemed suitable, donors receive a device with all necessary materials to start the extractions at home.
Subsequently, donors are scheduled every 15 days by telephone to monitor their health status and address any queries.
A collection date is then agreed upon based on the donor’s location on the island.
The refrigerators are prepared with replacement materials for the mothers and cold accumulators to preserve the donated milk.
Upon arrival at the health center, the freezing status is checked and the information is entered into the computer system.
Requests for pasteurized milk are made based on the needs of hospitalized patients.
Before use, up to three batches per donor are thawed and prepared in a sterile laminar flow cabinet.
Additionally, milk bank professionals take samples for nutritional and microbiological analysis of the milk before it’s pasteurized and labeled.
Requests for milk are made through a neonatologist by the Pediatrics service, with informed consent obtained from the parents or guardians of the receiving patient.
After obtaining consent, the milk is thawed and prepared according to the medical prescription and then distributed to the receiving unit or patient, ensuring traceability at all times.
The hospital center emphasizes that nutrition is one of the fundamental aspects of care for hospitalized newborns, especially premature ones.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the importance of a mother’s milk as the best food for these children. When this is unavailable, donated and pasteurized breast milk from healthy women is recommended as the best alternative.
Scientific evidence shows that feeding hospitalized children with breast milk is more beneficial than formulas derived from cow’s milk, and delaying feeding until this resource is available may result in longer hospital stays and increased infection risks.
