Donor screening
Due to the cost of completing the screening process, in particular the blood tests, we ask prospective donors to express and store at least 75 ounces to ensure that you are able to donate to the bank before money is spent on blood screening. Check the screening criteria to ensure you qualify as a donor before you begin expressing for the milk bank.
If you already have milk in the freezer and you qualify as a donor, count how much milk you have. When you have close to 75 ounces please contact us.
Watch our how-to
video to become a donor.
If you answer “yes” to all of the below questions, please fill out
this expression of interest form.
Please note that the internet is not a secure communications channel and any personal information you include about yourself may be intercepted and viewed during transfer. To reduce your privacy risk, do not include sensitive personal medical information.
- Are in good general health (bereaved donors are also accepted)
- Have more breastmilk than you need for your own baby. We ask that each mother donate at least 4.2 litres (150 ounces) of milk over a period of time. This helps to cover the costs of screening
- In the sad situation where a baby dies, some mothers choose to donate milk in honour of their child. BC Women’s accepts milk from bereaved donors. Any amount of appropriately stored milk is accepted, assuming the donor has completed the screening process. Lactation after loss (PDF)
- Are willing to have a blood test to rule out certain diseases
- Are not taking medications, including antidepressants and galactagogues (medications that increase milk production). Progestin-only birth control pills, thyroid replacement hormones, human insulin, prenatal vitamins, iron or calcium are acceptable
- Live in Canada
- Can drop off your frozen milk at BC Women’s Hospital or a milk collection depot or pay to have your milk shipped to the BC Women’s Hospital (check with the Milk Bank as there are areas of BC where shipping to the Milk Bank may be covered)
Even though your own milk is perfect for your own baby, certain things can disqualify you as a donor. The most common reasons for disqualification are:
- Taking certain medications on a regular basis. The list of exclusions varies over time based on current research. It currently includes, but is not limited to antidepressants and galactagogues (medications that increase milk production).Donations are accepted if taking: human insulin, thyroid replacement hormones, progestin only birth control pills, nasal sprays, topical treatments, eye drops, iron or vitamins (at regular doses). Check with the milk bank if you are taking medications
- Smoking or use of tobacco products
- Testing positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), hepatitis B or C, or syphilis
- If you or your partner are at high risk for HIV
- Your child is older than 18 months of age. We currently only take donor milk for the first year and a half postpartum
- Used illegal drugs in the last few years
Donor screening
Donor screening begins with the initial contact in person or by phone. The screening nurse reads you a list of lifestyle screening questions, provides general information and answers questions. If there are no issues, we send you a set of screening forms by mail, fax or email. These forms include a medical history sheet which confirms some of the information verbally covered over the phone, consent to contact your physician or midwife, information on blood screening and an agreement to donate.
After you return the forms, we review them and send your physician/midwife/nurse practitioner a few questions. Once we have heard back from your physician/midwife blood tests are ordered and can be done at your local community blood lab. The cost of the blood work is covered by the provincial health plan. Though some of the blood tests are the same ones done in pregnancy (HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis) they must be repeated for milk donation. In addition, HTLV is also done. Results are sent to your physician/midwife/nurse practitioner and the Milk Bank. Once we receive your blood tests results, you are contacted about getting your milk to the Milk Bank.
These questions will be asked when you call the Milk Bank. If you answer yes to some of these questions it does NOT exclude donation but requires further discussion with the Milk Bank screener.
- Have you been told that you cannot give blood for a medical reason unless the reason was low body weight, pregnancy or breastfeeding?
- In the last 12 months have you or your partner had a blood transfusion, blood products, an organ or tissue transplant, an accidental hypodermic needle stick, ear or body piercing, acupuncture or electrolysis with non sterile needles?
- Have you ever received human pituitary growth hormone, a dura matter or brain covering graft, bovine insulin or had intimate contact with someone with Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD)?
- Have you had hepatitis or in the last 12 months had close contact with someone with viral hepatitis?
- Within the last 12 months have you been exposed to hepatitis A or B or received a gamma globulin shot?
- Within the last 12 months have you or your sexual partner been at risk for HIV, HTLV, or hepatitis including hemophiliacs or those with multiple sexual partners or anyone who uses a needle for illegal or non prescription drugs?
- Are you taking mega doses of herbal supplements, or vitamins containing herbal supplements (that is 20 times greater than the RDA)?
- Have you had a chronic infection like TB, a chronic health condition or a history of leukemia, lymphoma or other cancers in the last five years?
