Determination of Knowledge and Views of Married Women Aged 18-49 About Breast Milk Banks

Abstract

Objective: This study was performed descriptively to determine th eknowledge and views of married women aged 18-49 regarding breast milk banks. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out at two Family Health Centers (FHC) in Sivas city center. The married women (n=190) aged between 18 and 49 who applied to the specified FHC between 31st October and 31st December, 2018, for various reasons and who agreed to be included in the study constituted the sample of the study. The data were collected by the researchers by means of a questionnaireand then presented in SPSS 22 program with number, percentage, mean and standard deviation values. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results: It was found that 67.4% of women had never heard about breast milk banks, 90.5% did not know of the existence of breast milk banks in Turkey, and 32.6% were unwilling for breast milk banks to be established. The study further concluded that 35.3% of the womencould benefit from breast milk banks when needed. Moreover, 46.8% of the women said that they would donate their breast milkand 61.1% stated that breast milk from a bank is a better option for infants than formula milk. Conclusions: Women’s attitudes towards breast milk banks are relatively positive. A recommendation arising from this study is that information about breast milk banks in Turkey should be more readily available and that there should be morecollaboration between sectors on current concerns.

Keywords

• milkbanks
• knowledge
• attitude