Prevalence of Medication and Supplement Use Among Pre-Eligibility Milk Bank Donors: An Australian Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background: Potential milk donors should be carefully screened to ensure that donated human milk is safe for vulnerable infant recipients. Some medications and supplements may result in donor deferral or make donation impossible. However, evidence about medication or supplement exposures among those considering donating excess breast milk in Australia remains limited.

Aim: To examine medication and supplement use among pre-eligibility donors to an Australian nonprofit milk bank.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed 1,480 high-level screening questionnaires completed at the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood milk bank between January 2023 and December 2024. All medications and supplements reportedly taken during the 10 weeks preceding the pre-eligibility donor screening interview were extracted, categorized, and summarized descriptively.

Results: Screening occurred a median of 9.7 weeks postpartum. Overall, 90% of pre-eligibility donors reported using either medications (75.2%) or supplements (64.1%), with many using both. Analgesics were most common (taken by 61.9%), followed by anticoagulants (22.1%), antibiotics (14.7%), hormonal therapies (11%), and antihypertensives (7%). Overall, 46.5% reported using at least one short-term medication associated with temporary deferral, and 12.4% were taking a long-term medication at screening that could have led to ineligibility. Multivitamins were the most commonly taken supplement (44.5% of all pre-eligibility donors).

Conclusions: Medications were primarily short-term treatments for postpartum care. Supplement use was prevalent, with multiple products taken. Given the limited safety data for many medications and supplements in the context of donor milk, these findings highlight the need for clearer, evidence-based guidance to support safe and inclusive donor eligibility decisions.