title: The Experience of Human Milk Banking for 8 Years: Korean Perspective.
abstract: Human milk banks are a solution for mothers who cannot supply their own breast milk to their sick or hospitalized infants; premature infants, in particular, are unable to receive a full volume of breast milk for numerous reasons. As of December 2015, there was only one milk bank in a university hospital in Korea. We reviewed the basic characteristics of donors and recipients, and the amounts and contamination of breast milk donated at the Human Milk Bank in Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong in Korea from 2008 to 2015. The donor pool consisted of 463 first-time donors and 452 repeat donors who made 1,724 donations. A total of 10,820 L of breast milk was collected, and 9,541.6 L were processed. Detectable bacteria grew in 12.6% after pasteurization and 52.5% had cytomegalovirus DNA before pasteurization in donated milk. There were 836 infant and 25 adult recipients; among new infant recipients, 48.5% were preterm; the groups received 8,009 and 165.7 L of donor milk, respectively. There was an increase in the percentage of preterm infants among new infant recipients in 2015 (93.1%) compared to 2008 (8.5%). Based on the number of premature infants in Korea, the number of potential recipients is not likely to diminish anytime soon, despite efforts to improve the breastfeeding rate. Sustainability and quality improvement of the milk bank need long-term financial support by health authorities and a nationwide network similar to blood banking will further contribute to the progress of milk banking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Lim
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2113-8052
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Yoon
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7777-3277
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Jin
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9472-3581
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Jeong
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2300-2055
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Human Breast Milk Bank, Mother & Infant Care Center, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2863-8789
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Human Breast Milk Bank, Mother & Infant Care Center, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Ae
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5212-9365
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Human Breast Milk Bank, Mother & Infant Care Center, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: In Young
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5476-7720
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Sung
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9181-7849
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chong Woo
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0965-5674
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. pedc@khnmc.or.kr.
authors.forename: Sung Hoon
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0352-9722
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D017784:Milk Banks; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*; D061352:Pasteurization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014019:Tissue Donors
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: Infant, Premature; Korea; Milk Banks; Milk, Human