Oklahoma has one of the highest rates of preterm births in the nation, with one in seven babies born premature. The use of human milk, in lieu of other nutritional methods, greatly increases the survivability and development of these babies.
The Oklahoma Mothers’ Milk Bank mission is to provide donor milk for critically ill and/or preterm infants in Oklahoma and surrounding states to improve short and long-term health care outcomes.
INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center is proud to announce it is now a Milk Bank Donation Center committed to the cause.
Donors undergo a thorough health screening and are asked to donate at least 100 ounces of breast milk within the first year. Once the milk is dropped off at a donation center, it is forwarded downtown to be pasteurized for safety and then distributed to various hospitals. The milk itself is available by prescription only from a neonatologist. There are frequent shortages nationwide as the demand for human milk in hospitals continues to increase.
The Oklahoma Mothers’ Milk bank was the 13th milk bank operating in the United States when it began processing milk in August 2013. Prior to this, the closest bank to Oklahoma was in Texas. To learn more about the milk bank or how to become a donor call 405-297-LOVE or visit www.okmilkbank.org.
