Puérperas e sua compreensão sobre a doação de leite humano

Abstract

The donation of breast milk is an act of solidarity that can save lives, but the total amount of human milk collected per donation represents only 55% to 60% of the real demand in our whole country. The aim of this study was to analyze the new mothers’ understanding about milk donation in a hospital in the southern region of the State of Tocantins. We also carried out a survey regarding the factors that influence breastfeeding mothers to donate their milk, through a systematic literature review in the Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS and Medline databases, by selecting papers published between 1998 and 2018. We used the following descriptors: Milk Banks; Human milk; Donations; Motivation; Breastfeeding, in the languages Portuguese, English and Spanish. The combination of descriptors was carried out by using the Boolean operators AND and OR. The results showed 42 articles for the analysis of titles and abstracts. When the exclusion criteria were applied, the final review consisted of 15 articles, being the main factors motivating the donation of human milk: altruism/ benevolence/ empathy; excess milk and complications with breastfeeding; guidance, assistance and social support; decentralization, structure and logistics; parity and schooling. The analysis of the new mothers and their understanding of milk donation was the descriptive-exploratory, qualitativequantitative kind, comprising 13 new mothers, as potential donors of human milk. The main factors mentioned by them as motivators for the donation were altruism; empathy with other mothers who would experience difficulties of the same nature; the recognition of the primacy of breast milk in relation to other milks; the understanding of the need for breast milk by other children; excess milk production and support from family members. The results also showed that the lack of knowledge about the donation process, the short time available, the lack of means of transport and collection points can make it difficult to donate. Most new mothers showed a desire to become a donor. The new mothers reported a desire to get more information and support regarding breastfeeding and milk donation, concerning the approaches taken by the health service towards the care received during the pregnancy-giving birth cycle. They suggested there should be more dialogue with health professionals and lectures. The results of the present study point to the disinformation of pregnant women about milk donation and the functioning and performance of human milk banks, which make milk donation an act that is complex and distant from the reality of potential donors.