Iran; Number One Middle East country providing breast feeding for immature newborn infants

Tehran, August 8, IRNA – Having 11 mother’s milk banks, Iran ranks first in the Middle East providing breast feeding for immature newborn infants. Mohammad-Baqer Hosseini, the director of mother’s milk bank of Azahra Hospital in northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz, told IRNA on Saturday that donation of mother’s milk is as essential as donation of blood since there are many immature newborn infants in the hospitals that mother’s milk is the best source of feeding for them. Now it’s near 100 years that the first mother’s milk banks were established in European countries, Hosseini said. He said that there are nearly 600 mother’s milk banks across the world, the first of which was founded in Austria. Brazil alone has 210 mother’s milk banks, Hosseini said. Mothers who donate milk are those who have milk in their breasts more than their own children need, the official added. World Breastfeeding Week is observed each year on August 1-8. The theme of World Breastfeeding Week 2020 is “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet”.