Social Networking as a Means to Procure Breast Milk

The number of people taking to social networking in order to acquire breast milk is growing by the day as human milk banks struggle to satisfy the huge demand for breast milk.

A Facebook group called "Human Milk 4 Human Babies" has more than 9,000 followers and the network has chapters in more than 50 countries around the world. Casual sharing of breast milk on social networks is also rampant with users donating breast milk to needful babies or cancer patients who have been told to drink breast milk as it would strengthen their immune system.

However experts have warned people that such casual sharing could be a recipe for various health problems as the breast milk could be infected with various types of bacteria and viruses, including HIV.

"The risks are of those viruses passing through to the baby (and) if they haven't had good hygiene at the point of collecting and expressing the milk there's potential there for bacteria to be in the milk", Mothers' Milk Bank director, Marea Ryan said.

Source: Medindia