Objectives: The aim of the study was to present the variability of patients who received donor human milk (DHM) during Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) hospitalization, including time of its usage and volume of portions.
Material and methods: A retrospective analysis of data was conducted for all infants admitted to the NICU at the University Hospital during the first year of the Human Milk Bank operation. One-way analysis of variance in the intergroup scheme, Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis with the Jonckheere-Tepstra test, correlation analysis using Pearson’s r and Spearmann’s rho, frequency analysis using the Fisher’s exact test were used to conduct analyses.
Results: 133 newborns received DHM. 3 groups of neonates were identified: < 32 0/7 weeks, 32 0/7–36 6/7 weeks and > 37 0/7 weeks of gestational age (GA). Time of DHM supplementation was similar in all groups and does not differ depending on the GA but preterm infants received the smallest total volume of DHM. However, infants > 37 weeks of GA had almost a threefold greater chance of abandoning breastfeeding than the others (odds ratio (OR) = 2.89, 95% CI: 0.69–12.20). There was a statistically significant, weak negative correlation between period of total parenteral nutrition and the volume of milk from the bank: rho = –0.194; p = 0.026.
Conclusions: The DHM supply did not have a negative impact on lactation and breastfeeding. Stimulation of lactation was necessary for 5–7 days. The time of DHM supply was the same regardless of GA. The majority of infants were breastfed or received only MOM on the day of discharge from the hospital
