California lawmakers have officially designated May as the state's first Human Milk Donation Month, highlighting the urgent need for donor breast milk to support premature and medically fragile infants. Senate Resolution 20, authored by Senators Dave Cortese and Aisha Wahab, seeks to raise awareness about the critical role of pasteurized donor human milk in improving infant health outcomes.
According to Mothers' Milk Bank California, demand for donor human milk has increased by 30% in the past year, with the organization currently distributing milk to 60% of California's NICUs. Despite this growing need, only 2% of eligible donors in California are currently contributing breast milk, while 1 in 11 babies is born prematurely and may require donor milk.
Preterm infants are the primary recipients of donor human milk, particularly when maternal milk is unavailable due to various medical circumstances. In California, up to 99% of very preterm or very low birthweight babies use pasteurized donor human milk in the NICU, yet the current donor pool meets less than 75% of the increased demand.
Donor milk undergoes rigorous medical screening and pasteurization to ensure safety, eliminating potential pathogens while preserving its nutritional value. The milk is then distributed to hospitals and individuals through a regulated process, providing a critical resource for vulnerable infants.
Multiple health organizations, including UC Health Milk Bank and the California Breastfeeding Coalition, are supporting the public awareness campaign. By highlighting the life-saving potential of donor human milk, the initiative aims to expand the donor pool and ensure more premature infants have access to this essential nutrition.
