Sachgerechte Reinigung von Milchpumpen: Stellungnahme der Ernährungskommissionen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin e. V. (DGKJ) und der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Kinder- und Jugendheilkunde e. V. (ÖGKJ) nach Berichten über schwere Infektionen bei Neugeborenen nach unzureichender Reinigung

Human breast milk is considered to be the gold standard for premature and mature infant nutrition. If breast feeding is not possible for various reasons or excess milk is to be collected for distribution, e.g. to a milk bank, it is common practice to use a breast milk pump. Severe infections in newborn infants fed on human milk collected by milk pumps were reported in the USA and Australia. Therefore, the committees on nutrition of the Austrian and German Societies of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine present a position paper on the appropriate hygiene measures when using milk pumps in the domestic and hospital environments. The various typical sources of pathogen contamination of pumped human milk are presented. Recommendations on the proper handling of milk pumps are provided. The aim of this publication is to sensitize to the possible risk of insufficient hygiene conditions of pumped breast milk and encourage the implementation of appropriate hygiene standards.