Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40119357›Full record

ArticleInternational breastfeeding journal2025

Perceptions and experiences related to use of breastmilk from another mother in central Nepal: a qualitative study.

Akina Shrestha, Natalie Gulrajani, Amy Sarah Ginsburg, Victoria Laleau, Soujanya Gade, Valerie Flaherman, Mahesh C Puri, Srijana Dongol

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International breastfeeding journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Akina ShresthaDepartment of Public Health, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Nepal. akinakoju@kusms.edu.np.
Natalie GulrajaniSchool of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Amy Sarah GinsburgClinical Trials Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Victoria LaleauSchool of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Soujanya GadeSchool of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Valerie FlahermanSchool of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Mahesh C PuriCenter for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities (CREHPA), Kathmandu, Nepal.
Srijana DongolDepartment of Pediatrics, Kathmandu University School of Medical Science, Dhulikhel, Nepal.

Funding

Bills and Melinda Gates Foundation OPP1203042
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhen maternal breastmilk is unavailable in sufficient quantity for infant needs, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of donor breastmilk if safe, affordable, and available. However, in Nepal and most other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), there are significant barriers to accessing safe and affordable donor breastmilk, including a paucity of milk banks. An in-depth understanding of perceptions and experiences in Nepal related to use of donor breastmilk could inform the development of interventions to address identified barriers.

methodsFrom December 2019 to January 2020, we conducted a qualitative study, including focus group discussions (FGDs) with parents and community health workers (CHW), and key informant interviews (KIIs) with public health stakeholders in Dhulikhel municipality, Kavrepalanchowk district in Nepal. In total, 44 individuals participated in five FGDs, including two with mothers, one with fathers, and two with CHW. Nine KIIs were conducted with stakeholders. Thematic analyses of translated transcripts were undertaken to explore perceptions and experiences of participants related to use of human donor breastmilk.

resultsParticipants in this study reported that informal breastmilk sharing between relatives and neighbors is common when a mothers' breastmilk is unavailable or insufficient and such sharing can occur via direct breastfeeding or milk expression. Numerous potential benefits with breastmilk sharing were described, including overcoming initial difficulties with milk supply in the postpartum period, convenience when mothers are unavailable, and reduced risk of infant infection and gastrointestinal distress. Hesitancies to breastmilk sharing included the risk of disease transmission from donor to infant and the possibility of decreased bonding between mother and infant. Some participants stated that animal milk is preferable to breastmilk sharing when mothers own milk is not available.

conclusionParticipants were aware of the potential benefits of donor breastmilk but identified numerous barriers to widespread adoption, including concerns about infectious diseases and mother-infant bonding, and preference for animal milks over another mother's milk. Addressing these concerns may help increase the acceptance and practice of donating and using donor breastmilk among mothers in Nepal.

Indexed as

Breast FeedingMilk BanksMilk, HumanMothersAdultFemaleFocus GroupsHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleNepalQualitative ResearchYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID40119357
PMCPMC11929266

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.