Fact Sheet

Purpose

The Mothers' Milk Bank collects, screens, stores and dispenses donated surplus milk from healthy, lactating mothers.  Donated milk is available for babies and others who have special health requirements for human milk and whose own mothers are unable to supply these needs.  In addition, the Milk Bank recognizes the value of human milk research and participates in such endeavors whenever feasible.

Donor Qualifications

Donor qualifications established by the Medical Advisory Council include:

* fully lactating women whose babies are thriving
* excellent health without any chronic illness
* has not had a blood transfusion in the past 12 months
* no history of hepatitis or illicit I.V. drug use
* no history of intimate contact with anyone at risk for AIDS
* does not smoke
* takes no regular medication or herbs (except replacement hormones, some birth control preparations)
* motivated to carry out meticulous milk collection and storage

Prospective milk donors undergo thorough historical screening by Milk Bank personnel to determine if they meet the health requirements.  Consent must be obtained from both the donor mother's and her baby's health care providers. Donors receive detailed instructions in the hygienic collection and handling of milk.

Donor Screening

Blood from prospective donors is tested for Hepatitis B and C, HIV-1/2, HTLV-I&II, and syphilis.    A donor's physician provides information regarding hepatitis, medication, blood transfusion, TB and herpes history. 

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Compliance

The Mothers' Milk Bank adheres to the strict guidelines published by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America ("Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of a Donor Human Milk Bank," reviewed annually) in accordance with the Food and Drug Administration, Center for Disease Control and American Academy of Pediatrics.  In addition, the Milk Bank complies with the United States Public Health Service "Guidelines for Prevention of Transmission of HIV Through Transplantation of Human Tissue and Organs". 

Milk Screening

All milk is pasteurized at a minimum of 56o C for 30 minutes.  Both CMV and HIV viruses are killed by this process, while preserving the unique immune properties. Additional information available upon request.

A post-pasteurization bacterial culture is performed and must comply with our standards of no growth.

Types of Milk

• frozen mature, pasteurized
• frozen preterm, pasteurized
• early mature and early preterm, pasteurized (as available)
• non-dairy (as available)

Distribution of Milk

Donated milk is distributed only when prescribed by a physician, when there is a demonstrated medical need, and the baby's own mother cannot provide it.  A processing fee of $3.50 per ounce is assessed to the recipient. A shipping fee is charged for milk shipped from the Milk Bank.   However, no child with a demonstrated medical need is denied milk because of inability to pay the processing fees.

To Contact the Mothers' Milk Bank, Please call (303) 869-1888.

Director
Laraine Lockhart Borman, B.A., IBCLC

Medical Director
Martha Illige, M.D.

Mothers' Milk Bank is a non-profit community
program of The Colorado Health Foundation

Laraine Lockhart Borman, IBCLC, Director
e-mail: mmilkbank@ColoradoHealth.org

1719 East 19th Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80218
(303) 869-1888