Drulis compares the extensive screening of milk donors to blood
bank screening. “Women first go through a verbal screening, and
then there’s a written screening,” she says. “We then draw blood
and have it tested for Hepatitis B and C, HIV 1 and 2, and HTLV
1 and 2. Once that screen is passed, we also ask the mother’s
and baby’s physicians if they know of any reason why this mother
shouldn’t become a milk donor.” Mothers must be non-smokers and
taking no medications or herbs during the time they pump the
milk. Once a woman passes the health screening, she is taught
the proper techniques for collecting and shipping milk, which is
then pasteurized at the milk bank. “The pasteurizing kills
bacteria and viruses,” says Drulis. “And we do a bacterial
screening after the pasteurization process.” She says the heat
treatment does not kill off the beneficial immunologic and
nutritional properties of the milk, which is subsequently frozen
awaiting delivery. Although there are only 10 donor human milk
banks in the United