A premature baby born at Fiona Stanley Hospital has become the first in Western Australia to receive donated breast milk as part of a new Red Cross service.
Red Cross Lifeblood's milk donation service has been operating on the east coast for about five years but has expanded to WA amid increasing demand for donated breast milk.
Milk Bank manager Chris Sulfaro told ABC Perth Breakfast it was exciting to be able to bring the new service to Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Previously, premature babies born at Fiona Stanley Hospital would need to be transferred to Perth Children's Hospital or King Edward Memorial Hospital to access donated breast milk from the Perron Rotary Express Milk Bank.
Ms Sulfaro said demand for breast milk had increased 15 per cent in the first four months of this year.
She said mums of preterm babies often weren't able to produce enough milk on their own.
"The World Health Organization recommends where it's not possible for mum's own milk to be fed to her baby, that the first alternative, if it's available, should be human milk from other sources," she said.
"The donated milk is supplied to preterm babies. So, usually less than 32 weeks and, or, (weighing less than) 1,500g.
"This group of babies are very vulnerable, very fragile and often have a lot of health risks associated with being fed formula."
Donors go through an extensive screening process, similar to that of blood donors, to ensure the milk is safe for babies.
Demand creating a 'black market' of human milk
The service's expansion to WA comes as researchers call for more regulation to curb a growing black market for breast milk.
Researchers from Monash and Deakin Universities have found demand for human milk is increasing across Australia, with people sourcing the milk through well-meaning community groups and social media sites.
In an article published in the Australian Feminist Law journal, researchers called for human milk to be regulated like blood.
The article's lead author, Deakin Law School associate professor Neera Bhatia believes the informal exchange of breast milk is risky.
"Both blood and human milk are generated in the body and are replaced by natural processes," she said.
"Both carry health risks if they are not screened for infectious agents or stored correctly. Both are a source of human cells, including stem cells.
"People donate blood altruistically; they can't sell it.
"And we believe that like blood, human milk can be effectively collected, screened and shared via regulated milk banks."
