Informal Breast Milk Sharing in a Muslim Country: The Frequency, Practice, Risk Perception, and Risk Reduction...

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Public Health
• Islamic Studies

Background:

• Turkey's attempt to establish a milk bank was halted due to religious objections.
• Informal breast milk sharing has emerged as a prevalent alternative.
• Religious viewpoints and risk mitigation strategies in this practice remain underexplored in Islamic countries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate religious views and attitudes towards breast milk sharing.
• To identify risk reduction strategies employed by mothers practicing informal milk sharing.
• To understand the dynamics of breast milk sharing in an Islamic cultural context.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire-based study was conducted with 435 participants from online forums and social media groups.
• Participants were categorized into non-sharers (n=371), donors (n=48), and recipients (n=16).
• Data collection focused on experiences, agreements, religious considerations, and perceived risks associated with milk sharing.

Main Results:

• 14.7% of participants had experience with informal milk sharing.
• Most donors and recipients did not use written agreements (85.4% and 75%, respectively).
• Religious concerns influenced sharing by inquiring about infant gender, limiting parties to three, and knowing identities. 19.5% cited 'milk kinship' as a reason not to use donor milk.

Conclusions:

• Informal breast milk sharing is a common practice in Turkey, often disregarding religious concerns and commercial interests.
• Participants acknowledge risks similar to those in existing literature, yet comprehensive disease transmission measures are not consistently applied.
• There is a significant belief (77.3%) in the necessity of establishing a formal milk bank, indicating a desire for regulated and safe milk sharing options.