Characteristics of Milk Donors Who Learned About Milk Donation Through Social Media
María Martín Ramírez, Natalia Pacheco Infante, María Luisa Martín Rodríguez, María Cruz Manrique Díaz, María Concepción Jiménez González, Cristina De Diego Poncela, Inge Silveria Alonso Larruscain, María Gloria López Lois, Ana Royuela Vicente, Miguel Ángel Marín GabrielBackground:
Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition and immunologic protection for newborns, particularly in preterm infants. When maternal milk is unavailable, donor human milk is a safe and effective alternative. Social media has emerged as a novel tool for raising awareness about milk donation; however, its impact on milk donor characteristics and donation outcomes remains unclear.
Objective:
The first aim is to evaluate the characteristics of milk donors who learned about donation through social media compared with other sources. The second aim is to assess differences in completing at least one donation, milk donation volume, and composition.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study including 1,121 donors was accepted between 2022 and 2024 in Spain. Maternal and neonatal characteristics, completing at least one donation, and milk donation volume were analyzed according to the source of information (social media and others such as maternity ward, mass media, or health care professionals). Statistical analyses included χ 2 , analysis of variance, and Kruskal–Wallis tests, with multivariable linear regression to identify factors associated with donation volume.
Results:
A total of 7.9% (
Conclusions:
Social media is an increasingly important strategy for raising awareness about milk donation without affecting donation rates. However, its association with lower donation volumes highlights the need for targeted strategies to improve donor engagement and retention.