The Challenge of Preterm Births and Abandonment in Mexico
Approximately 200,000 preterm babies are born in Mexico each year. When these vulnerable infants face abandonment—at least 5,790 children were abandoned between 2020 and 2024—their chances of survival are significantly reduced. This is not only due to their increased likelihood of being admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) to tackle severe health complications but also because they lack access to breast milk, crucial for their recovery.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breastfeeding is the most effective strategy for preventing infant mortality and morbidity. However, in cases where breast milk is unavailable, hospitals resort to commercial formula alternatives. These formulas, while presented as a solution for infant survival, are more expensive and do not provide the same benefits, delaying recovery and increasing medical costs.
The Priority of a Mexican Laboratory: Ensuring Quality and Safe Nutrition
Pasteurized Human Milk Banks (BLH) aim to ensure newborns’ right to safe and timely nutrition. However, they fail to meet the nutritional needs of hospitals and healthcare centers across Mexico. To address this gap, the Laboratorio de Investigación Leche Humana (LILH) was established at the Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenierías (CUCEI) of the Universidad de Guadalajara.
The laboratory produces powdered human milk, which has a long shelf life and requires no cold chain for storage or transportation. This product is free from preservatives and additives, offering superior nutritional and biological characteristics compared to commercial formula alternatives. It strictly adheres to national and international regulations.
Greater Institutional Involvement to Save More Lives
To nourish the most vulnerable children, LILH has donated its product to the Hospital Civil “Fray Antonio Alcalde” in Guadalajara. This hospital frequently treats infants with multiple complications, including respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), congenital syphilis, pneumonia, hepatosplenomegaly, microcephaly, persistence of the arterial duct, bacterial sepsis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in preterm infants exposed to toxic substances during pregnancy.
The powdered human milk also benefits neonates with cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA), intolerance to commercial formula, or conditions affecting nutrient absorption, such as Bartter syndrome. These cases result in swift recovery for the infants, reducing hospital stays and avoiding commercial formula use.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the issue LILH aims to address? LILH seeks to provide abandoned or formula-deprived infants with exclusive human milk nutrition, as recommended by WHO and UNICEF.
- What makes LILH’s powdered human milk unique? It is dehydrated, requiring no cold chain for storage or transportation. It is free from preservatives and additives, offering superior nutritional and biological characteristics compared to commercial formulas.
- Which institutions need to collaborate for LILH’s success? Key government institutions, such as the Secretaría de Salud and the Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF), should collaborate by subsidizing the costs of transforming human milk into powder and establishing networks with Pasteurized Human Milk Banks.
