Donor Screening Questions

If you are interested in becoming a human milk donor, please answer the following preliminary screening questions:

1.) How old is your baby? (We only use milk from mothers whose babies are less than a year old, as the milk protein content is higher.)

2.) Have you been free of a major illness in the last year?

3.) Have you had blood products or a transfusion within the last year? (If yes, we cannot use your milk.)

4.) Have you ever been told you cannot donate blood? (You may not donate milk if the answer to this question is "yes" unless the reason was low body weight, pregnancy, low iron or breastfeeding.)

5.) Have you had a body piercing, a tattoo or acupuncture in the last year?

6.) During the time you were pumping milk, were you taking ANY medications?  Are you currently taking ANY medications?  This includes herbal, over-the-counter meds, prescription meds, pain meds, allergy or cold remedies, vitamins containing herbal supplements or weight-loss aids, antibiotics and galactagogues.  (Vitamins, iron, thyroid replacement, insulin, nasal sprays, topicals, eye drops, asthma inhalers (bronchodilators, not steroids) and progestin-only birth control pills or those containing less than 35 mcg of estrogen are okay.) 

7.) Do you smoke or use a nicotine patch? (We are unable to accept milk from smokers.)

8.) Would you consider yourself a high risk for exposure to HIV or Hepatitis? (We are unable to accept milk from anyone who considers herself a high risk.)

9.) Have you ever lived in the United Kingdom? (If so, we cannot accept you as a donor if you lived there for more than three months between 1980 and 1996, unless you were a strict vegetarian.)

10.) Would you be willing to have your blood drawn to test for HIV and Hepatitis B & C? (We need to do all the testing, except in special circumstances.  The milk bank covers the cost.)

11.) We expect to get about 4 ounces per day from the typical donor.

12.) We need to get at least 200 oz. to make it worth the cost of screening a donor. (We will take 100 ounces if the baby has died.)

13.) Donors in the Research Triangle Area must come to the hospital to have blood drawn.

14.) If you are ready to be screened, what is your name, full address, phone number, birth date and your baby's birth date?

Please note: We cannot ship a cooler to you or accept your milk donation until your information file with us is complete.