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Freezing expressed breast milk is a means of providing nourishment when maternal contact isn't possible (e.g., when neonates are hospitalized.) Various protocols have been recommended for freezing, although the optimal duration is unclear. These investigators obtained 100 mL of freshly expressed breast milk from each of 40 mothers (mean age, 32 years, 61 days postpartum) and divided each sample into 9 aliquots: 4 were frozen at −20°C and 4 were refrigerated for 72 hours and subsequently frozen at −20°C. Aliquots were stored for 1, 3, 6, or 9 months, and were then placed at −80°C until they were analyzed simultaneously. One aliquot was stored directly at −80°C at baseline.
The study was supported by a maker of breast-feeding products.
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