{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,15]],"date-time":"2026-07-15T18:18:43Z","timestamp":1784139523449,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"16","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,18]],"date-time":"2025-08-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1755475200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Scientific literature confirms the benefits of mother\u2019s own milk (MOM) for both term and preterm infants. The feeding of pathological newborns, in particular the very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs), is dependent on human milk. When MOM is not available, pasteurized donor human milk obtained from a recognized Human Milk Bank (HMB) is the best alternative. Research aims: This survey aims to evaluate the activity of human milk banks (HMBs) in Italy in the years 2023\u20132024. Methods: Following the previous three surveys performed in 2012, 2016, and 2022, a fourth survey related to 2023 and 2024 was planned in the year 2025. A questionnaire was sent to the 44 HMBs officially operating in Italy, with questions regarding their management and activity, in order to collect national-level data. Results: All 44 Italian HMBs (100%) responded to this survey. The collected data confirm the results of the previous surveys, confirming an optimal adherence to the Italian Ministerial Guidelines. Almost all the HMBs (96%) apply the principles of self-control and the HACCP system, while the home milk collection service still requires improvement. Only 68% of HMBs organize collection and transport of the donated milk from the donor\u2019s home to the bank. In addition, this survey shows the spreading of computerization in the management of the activities of HMBs: 36.4% make use of specific software that could lead to a greater availability of donor human milk for the neonatal centers in the future. The number of donors and the amount of donated milk increased consistently compared to the previous years. Conclusions: In general, this survey shows an improvement in the results obtained in the three previous surveys, with a positive dissemination of the culture of human milk donation in Italy. The impressive response rate to the survey demonstrates the importance of a regular check-up of the activity of HMBs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17162663","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,18]],"date-time":"2025-08-18T11:31:37Z","timestamp":1755516697000},"page":"2663","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["The Fourth Survey on the Activity of Human Milk Banks in Italy"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Giuseppe","family":"De Nisi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Board of Directors of AIBLUD (Italian Association of Donor Human Milk Banks), 20126 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3429-3257","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Guido E.","family":"Moro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Board of Directors of AIBLUD (Italian Association of Donor Human Milk Banks), 20126 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sertac","family":"Arslanoglu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul 34720, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amalia M.","family":"Ambruzzi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Board of Directors of AIBLUD (Italian Association of Donor Human Milk Banks), 20126 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Enrico","family":"Bertino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neonatal Care Unit, University of Turin, City of Health and Science of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Augusto","family":"Biasini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Board of Directors of AIBLUD (Italian Association of Donor Human Milk Banks), 20126 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Claudio","family":"Profeti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Board of Directors of AIBLUD (Italian Association of Donor Human Milk Banks), 20126 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Guglielmo","family":"Salvatori","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neonatal Care Unit, Bambino Ges\u00f9 Children\u2019s Hospital, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paola","family":"Tonetto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neonatal Care Unit, University of Turin, City of Health and Science of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3131-8700","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pasqua Anna","family":"Quitadamo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neonatal Care Unit, IRCCS \u201cCasa Sollievo della Sofferenza\u201d, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nicoletta","family":"Danese","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neonatal Care Unit, AULSS 8 Berica, 36100 Vicenza, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"name":"the members of AIBLUD (Italian Association of Donor Human Milk Banks)","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Davanzo, R., Maffeis, C., Silano, M., Bertino, E., Cazzato, C.A., Tonetto, P., Staiano, A., Vitiello, R., and Natale, F. 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