California lawmakers have officially designated May as the state's first Human Milk Donation Month, drawing attention to the vital importance of donor breast milk for premature and medically fragile infants. The initiative, spearheaded by Senator Dave Cortese and Mothers' Milk Bank California, seeks to address the growing demand for pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) and expand critical nutritional support for vulnerable newborns.
Current data reveals significant challenges in meeting infant nutritional needs. Only 2% of eligible donors in California are contributing breast milk, while 1 in 11 babies is born preterm and may require donor milk. In California's neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), up to 99% of very preterm or very low birthweight babies use PDHM, yet the current donor pool meets less than 75% of increased demand.
Donor human milk provides critical health benefits, particularly in preventing serious conditions like Necrotizing Enterocolitis, which can be fatal for premature infants. Mothers' Milk Bank California, which distributes PDHM to 60% of California's NICUs, has experienced a 30% increase in demand over the past year.
Potential milk donors undergo comprehensive medical screening to ensure safety. Donated milk is carefully pasteurized to eliminate pathogens while preserving nutritional value, then distributed to hospitals and individuals through a regulated process. Multiple health organizations, including UC Health Milk Bank and the California Breastfeeding Coalition, are supporting the public awareness campaign.
The resolution highlights the importance of ensuring equitable access to this life-saving nutritional resource for infants who cannot receive milk directly from their birth mothers due to various medical circumstances.
