Used Breast Pumps
Advertisements
Sharing Single-User Breast Pumps Dangerous
The concern of buying a used breast pump is something many breast feeding moms encounter. Although a used pump may be more affordable than a new one, there are real health implications involved. The practice of re-using single user breast pumps may be dangerous because some disease organisms are known to be present in the breast milk of infected women.
Pathogens like HIV, Hepatitis and Cytomegalovirus in Breast Milk
Additionally, if a woman has used the breast pump during an episode of cracked bleeding nipples, blood contamination may have also occurred. Home sterilization methods are not always reliable to ensure the safe destruction of all pathogens especially in the rubber parts such as washers and diaphragms. Some pumps have internal diaphragms that cannot be removed and cleaned or replaced. In addition, even if you get a new collection kit (the part the touches your breast and collects the milk) it may be possible for air-born pathogens or droplets of milk that are not visible to the naked eye to get into a pump motor and cause contamination to the next user. Most single user pumps are "open system" pumps and do not have any protective barrier to prevent cross contamination to multiple users. Many of the diseases that can be found in the milk of infected women are very serious or life threatening. Pathogens like Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and others can be found in the breast milk of infected women. (Lawrence 94) These diseases frequently go undetected for long periods of time, so even if the former user of the pump is trustworthy and willing to share this personal health information with you, she may not be aware she or her partner are carriers. Though there have not been any documented cases of mothers or babies being infected through the use of a second-hand pump, I don't believe sharing single user pumps is worth even a very small or theoretical risk. Other very difficult to clear fungal infections like candidiasis, more commonly known as yeast or thrush, may also be transmitted. Yeast organisms are very stubborn pathogens that can live on surfaces for long periods. Some lactation consultants will go as far as recommending replacing old breast pump equipment when working with a mom who has an especially persistent yeast infection because of the difficult in ensuring the complete destruction of the fungus even with careful cleaning. In addition to the health risks of borrowing a pump there are ethical ones as well. I have worked with several moms who purchased or borrowed a used pump from a friend or relative, only to have that pump break or stop operating while they were using it. These moms then felt obligated to purchase a new pump, if it was a borrowed pump, the new pump had to be returned and the mom had spent a lot of extra money that she didn't need to. The approximate cost to formula feed a baby for one year is $2,300.00, a new breast pump is very reasonable compared to that price.
Page: 1 | 2 | 3 Next: Statement by the FDA and the Names of Breast Pumps
---------------------------------------------
Compiled by: Cindy Curtis,RN,IBCLC
This handout may be copied and distributed without further permission, on the condition that it is not used in any context in which the WHO code on the marketing of breast milk substitutes is violated.
Used Breast Pumps (original article) on www.breastfeedingonline.com
