It has been revealed that a hospital in Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture will open the third facility in Japan for a "breast milk bank" that provides breast milk collected from donors to babies born with low birth weight next year.
This is the first installation outside of Tokyo, and it is expected that dispersing the facilities will reduce the risk of disasters.
A breast milk bank is a facility that provides breast milk "donor milk" collected from donors based on the request of a medical institution when the mother is unable to give breast milk to a baby born with a low weight of less than 1500 grams due to premature birth.
Currently, two locations are in operation in Japan, but both are located in Tokyo. We have been making preparations such as collecting
According to the association, it has been decided to open a breast milk bank at Fujita Medical University Hospital in Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture next fiscal year, which will be the third location in Japan.
With the cooperation of the Nippon Foundation Breast Milk Bank, which is already operating in Tokyo, breast milk collected from donors will be pasteurized and sent to the new breast milk bank for frozen storage.
In normal times, donor milk will be sent to medical institutions in the Tokai region, and in emergencies when breast milk banks in Tokyo cannot operate due to disasters.
Associate Professor Masafumi Miyata of Fujita Health University School of Medicine said, "As a third base, we would like to cooperate so that we can provide donor milk even in the event of a disaster."
Katsumi Mizuno, a representative director of the Japan Breast Milk Bank Association and a professor at Showa University School of Medicine, said, "Donor milk is very important in reducing the risk of intestinal disease for babies born with low birth weight when the mother's breast milk is not produced." I would like to develop a breast milk bank and protect the lives of babies."
What is a “breast milk bank”?
In order to protect the lives of babies born with low birth weight due to premature birth, etc., the "breast milk bank" requires breast milk "donor milk" donated by donors based on requests from medical institutions when mothers cannot breastfeed. provided free of charge to babies who
Since providing breast milk requires a high level of safety, it is operated based on international standards, and breast milk providers undergo blood tests at a specific facility, register as donors, and provide breast milk. .
Donated breast milk is pasteurized, tested for bacteria, and stored frozen in a breast milk bank.
Why Donor Milk Is Needed
A major reason for the need for donor milk is that it can reduce the risk of infections and illnesses in babies born with low birth weight.
Babies born with a weight of less than 1500 grams due to premature birth are called ``very low birth weight babies'' and are said to be at high risk of contracting infections and diseases.
Breast milk is said to have the effect of reducing the risk, and research results show that the risk of developing a disease in which a part of the intestine that is related to life and death "dies" is reduced to about one-third compared to artificial milk. There is also
However, in cases such as premature birth, the mother is not in good health and often does not produce breast milk, so it is necessary to recruit donors and secure them.
2 domestic locations in Tokyo
In Japan, Professor Katsumi Mizuno of Showa University School of Medicine, a pediatrician, opened the first "Breast Milk Bank" at Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital in 2014.
Mizuno established the Japan Breast Milk Bank Association to expand his activities.
However, the breast milk bank at Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital was closed in March last year due to the spread of the new coronavirus.
Currently, all of them in operation in Japan are located in Chuo-ku, Tokyo. There are two locations in the "Nippon Foundation Breast Milk Bank" that have been established.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has also started a project in 2020 to support the verification of the effects of breast milk banks and the creation of operational standards and manuals for nationwide deployment.
On the other hand, the number of users of breast milk banks is increasing little by little, and last year, we provided donor milk to 360 babies, 157 more than the previous year.
Problems with donor milk
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's vital statistics, there are more than 7,000 babies born weighing less than 1,500 grams each year, and experts estimate that an estimated 5,000 of them will need to be provided with donor milk.
To that end, there are issues in terms of both supply and demand, and as of the end of September, only 17 facilities in 12 prefectures can register as donors for breast milk banks, and there are areas where donor registration is difficult, and the amount of donor milk that can be secured. The problem is that the is limited.
On the other hand, there are 67 medical institutions nationwide that use donor milk.
In addition, there are two breast milk banks in Japan, both of which are located in Tokyo, and there is a risk that it will be difficult to provide breast milk in the event of a disaster. was preparing for the opening of
Families using breast milk banks
Aoba Matsufuji was born in Tokyo in June of the year before.
His birth weight was only 1224 grams.
He was a "very low birth weight baby" who was at high risk of contracting infections and illnesses.
Her mother Mizuki, who was 29 weeks pregnant, suddenly suffered from abdominal pain and was taken to a university hospital by ambulance, where she gave birth by caesarean section.
I was born almost 3 months earlier than my due date.
Immediately after giving birth, Mizuki was not able to produce enough breast milk due to her poor health.
Under these circumstances, the doctor suggested using Aoba's breast milk bank, as it could be expected to reduce the risk of infection and illness for Aoba.
At first, Mizuki was puzzled by her unfamiliar words, but after receiving her doctor's explanation, she and her husband, Hisa, came to know the importance of her mother's milk. I was offered donor milk.
After that, her breast milk started to come out enough, and in the photo taken on the 6th day after her birth, Aonami-kun has Mizuki-san's breast milk soaked in a cotton swab in her mouth.
Aonami-kun was discharged from the hospital after being hospitalized for 3 months, and now, at 2 years and 5 months old, he weighs over 10 kilograms. I was.
Mizuki said, "I was so small when I was born, so I couldn't sleep because I was worried that I might die. I couldn't eat, so I was afraid to go to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) alone. I'll do whatever I can." I used donor milk with that feeling.I am really grateful because it is growing safely and healthily."
Hisa says, “When I first heard the word “donor milk,” I was worried about frozen storage and nutrition, but after hearing from a doctor, I learned that breast milk is important for babies. I think it is necessary to make efforts to let many people know about it."
Exchange meeting for mothers who have experience using donor milk
Fujita Medical University Hospital in Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture, where a breast milk bank is scheduled to open next fiscal year, has received donor milk since July 2018, and is used by about 40 babies annually.
Two days later, on the occasion of World Premature Infant Day on the 17th of last month, mothers who had experience using donor milk participated in a networking event held at the hospital.
Among them, the 9-month-old mother of twins gave birth at 29 weeks of gestation, the babies weighed 1300 grams and 767 grams at birth, respectively, and received donor milk without breast milk. .
When a woman is told, ``Breast milk is good for small children,'' they may think, ``I have to give it.'' It was fun," he said.
Also, the mother's twin babies, who gave birth at 27 weeks of gestation, weighed 1008 grams and 982 grams respectively at birth and are still in the hospital.
At first, the mother used donor milk, but after that, she began to produce breast milk, and now she is registered as a donor and is providing breast milk.
Her mother said, "When she is having trouble producing breast milk, I want her to use as much of the donor milk as possible to save her little life."