Disparities in Donor Human Milk Supplementation Among Well Newborns

Area of Science:

• Neonatal nutrition
• Public health
• Health disparities

Background:

• Donor human milk supplementation for healthy newborns is increasing.
• Racial-ethnic disparities in milk supplementation are known in NICUs, but not in well newborn settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify maternal characteristics associated with donor human milk versus formula supplementation in well newborn units.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 678 mother-newborn dyads.
• Infant feeding type (donor human milk or formula) and maternal characteristics extracted from medical records.
• Chi-square and logistic regression analyses used to examine associations.

Main Results:

• Nonwhite mothers were less likely to use donor human milk compared to non-Hispanic white mothers.
• Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and Asian mothers showed significant disparities in donor human milk use.
• Lower donor human milk use was associated with non-English primary language and public insurance.

Conclusions:

• Breastfeeding promotion goals may be hindered without targeted donor human milk programs for diverse groups.
• Identifying drivers of disparities is crucial for person-centered interventions.
• Addressing disparities in donor human milk access is necessary for equitable infant nutrition.