科学｜他人の母乳で救われる小さな命 / Science | Tiny Lives Saved by Other People’s Breast Milk

Summary

In recent years, there has been an increase in extremely low birth weight and ultra-low birth weight infants, with breast milk playing a crucial role in sustaining their lives. For babies who cannot be breastfed, pasteurized donor milk, or “donor milk,” is a lifeline, but its supply is insufficient. The importance of breast milk donation and efforts to promote it are being explored.

Dialogue

This dialogue is fictional and based on the article.

Medical Researcher (Mr. Sato): “It’s surprising that the number of extremely low birth weight infants is increasing recently. I heard that breast milk is particularly important.”
Journalist (Mr. Yoshida): “Yes, breast milk not only provides nutrition but also boosts immunity, so it’s indispensable for small babies.”
Medical Researcher (Mr. Sato): “There’s also the issue of not having enough donor milk supply. How should we go about solving this?”

Admin’s Note

Recent news has made me reevaluate just how important donating breast milk is. Especially with the increasing number of extremely low birth weight and ultra-low birth weight babies, there is no doubt that breast milk is a crucial element in protecting a baby’s health. The existence of breast milk banks is reassuring, but the current situation where the supply of donations is not keeping up is serious. It’s necessary to elevate awareness and efforts across society for this issue. Donating breast milk is a wonderful act that can save the lives of others, and I believe it is important to spread this sentiment.