MONROVIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Prolacta Bioscience has announced that their popular breast pump reimbursement program has been extended through December 31, 2012 to eligible mothers who donate their extra breast milk. Since the program was initiated in November 2011, Prolacta has reimbursed over 1,300 mothers $300 each for the cost of their breast pump.
Breast milk that is donated to Prolacta through Prolacta-affiliated milk banks is made into human milk-based nutritional products for critically ill preemies who are hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) throughout the U.S. Since premature infants have increased nutritional needs above what can be provided by their mother’s milk or donor milk alone, their breast milk feedings need to be fortified with added nutrients. Prolact+ H2MF (made from donated breast milk) is concentrated breast milk that has been supplemented with extra minerals which is then added to the mother’s breast milk or to donor milk (if a mother’s own milk is unavailable), in order to provide precise protein and caloric needs for preemies in the NICU.
Through Prolacta’s innovation, there have been advancements in nutritional care for premature infants in the NICU, specifically for infants born weighing 2lbs 12oz or less. Prolact+ H2MF is the only human milk fortifier made exclusively from human milk. As a result, neonatologists now have the option to provide an exclusively human milk-based, fortified diet, and to exclude cow milk-based nutrition from a fragile preemie’s diet.
Under the breast pump reimbursement program, Prolacta sends eligible mothers $300. Eligible mothers are those who donate 300 ounces of their extra breast milk within their qualification period through a participating Prolacta-affiliated milk bank. Prolacta has always covered the cost of screening donors, breast milk storage bags and milk shipment, and will continue to do so. They initiated this pump reimbursement program in support of their objective that mothers not incur any out-of-pocket expenses in order to donate. Mothers who wish to review the donor pre-qualification guidelines may visit http://milkbanking.net/guidelines.php.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than a half million babies in the United States (one in eight) are born premature each year.1 Prematurity occurs in infants who are born at less than 37 weeks of gestation, and it is the leading cause of death among newborn babies.
Mothers who wish to learn more, or would like to find out if they qualify to donate milk may visit http://www.prolacta.com/findamilkbank.php. Terms and conditions apply for the pump reimbursement program. This information can be found on the individual milk bank websites.
About Prolacta Bioscience
Prolacta Bioscience, Inc. www.prolacta.com is a life science company dedicated to improving quality of life by Advancing the Science of Human Milk™. Prolacta creates specialty formulations made exclusively from human milk for the nutritional needs of critically ill, premature infants in neonatal intensive care units. It is the first and only company to provide a human milk fortifier made from 100% human milk, Prolact+ H2MF. They operate a pharmaceutical grade processing plant and have designed and patented processes that enable them to make their one-of-a-kind life saving products. Prolacta is committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of the most vulnerable infants through world-class research and innovative products.
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2010). Premature Birth. In 2010 CDC Features. Retrieved October 26, 2011, from http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PrematureBirth