Standards for donor human milk banking
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World Health Organization
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xiv, 44 p.
This document presents the World Health Organization’s global standards for donor human milk banking, developed to ensure the safety, quality and ethical management of donor human milk used for vulnerable infants when their mother’s own milk is unavailable or insufficient. Donor human milk is recommended for preterm and low-birthweight infants as an important intervention to support survival, growth and development. The standards were developed through systematic reviews, consideration of ethical issues and expert consensus, with the aim of providing harmonized, evidence-based guidance for policymakers, health systems and milk bank operators. The publication outlines recommended practices across the donor human milk banking pathway, including donor recruitment, remuneration, screening, education and support; collection, storage, handling and processing of milk; pooling, tracking and tracing systems; treatment and microbiological testing of donor milk; and quality assurance measures. Particular emphasis is placed on protecting breastfeeding, safeguarding donor and recipient health, ensuring traceability, and maintaining microbiological safety while preserving the nutritional and immunological value of human milk. The standards are intended to support equitable access to safe donor human milk and strengthen integration of milk banking within maternal, newborn and child health programmes.
This document presents the World Health Organization’s global standards for donor human milk banking, developed to ensure the safety, quality and ethical management of donor human milk used for vulnerable infants when their mother’s own milk is unavailable or insufficient. Donor human milk is recommended for preterm and low-birthweight infants as an important intervention to support survival, growth and development. The standards were developed through systematic reviews, consideration of ethical issues and expert consensus, with the aim of providing harmonized, evidence-based guidance for policymakers, health systems and milk bank operators. The publication outlines recommended practices across the donor human milk banking pathway, including donor recruitment, remuneration, screening, education and support; collection, storage, handling and processing of milk; pooling, tracking and tracing systems; treatment and microbiological testing of donor milk; and quality assurance measures. Particular emphasis is placed on protecting breastfeeding, safeguarding donor and recipient health, ensuring traceability, and maintaining microbiological safety while preserving the nutritional and immunological value of human milk. The standards are intended to support equitable access to safe donor human milk and strengthen integration of milk banking within maternal, newborn and child health programmes.