Patients in Neonatal Intensive Care Units are extremely vulnerable to infection.  This is why they need safe human donor milk.  We screen every donating mother with an extensive health history and blood tests for HIV, HTLV, Hepatitis B & C, and syphilis.  We also require both the mother's  and her baby's doctors to approve her donation of her extra milk.  Once the milk is pasteurized by the Holder method, we check for bacteria and nutritional content before dispensing it.  All of these safety checks, especially the blood testing, require time and money, but we want to be CERTAIN that our milk is safe for these precious babies.  That is why we follow these strict guidelines from The Human Milk Banking Association of North America, the professional credentialing organization for non-profit milk banks.