Effectiveness of Nutritional Resources for Milk Donors

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ROEHAMPTON · Jun 24, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how helpful specially designed nutrition information is for women who donate breast milk. Researchers have found that donor milk in the UK often lacks important nutrients called omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, especially one called DHA, which are vital for a baby’s brain and immune system development. The study aims to see if giving milk donors clear, easy-to-follow nutrition advice can improve the DHA levels in their breast milk. They will also check if giving donors feedback about their milk’s DHA content encourages them to make changes that boost these important nutrients.

Women who have recently given birth (between 6 and 8 weeks ago) and are new donors at the Countess of Chester Hospital milk bank may be eligible to join. Participants should be able to understand English well enough to read information and complete questionnaires, should not be taking high-dose omega-3 supplements, and should have a body mass index (BMI) under 30. If you take part, you’ll receive nutritional guidance developed with input from healthcare experts and donors, and your milk’s DHA levels will be monitored. If this approach works, it could help improve the quality of donor milk across the UK and support breastfeeding mothers more broadly.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • New donors from the Countess of Chester Hospital milk bank
• • Between six to eight weeks of giving birth
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Insufficient comprehension of English to understand the information sheet and consent form and complete the questionnaires
• • Currently taking omega-3 PUFA dietary supplements providing greater than 200 mg DHA per day
• • Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2