Researchers at UC San Diego Are Learning About the Benefits of Human Milk and How it Influences Infant and Child Health

The purpose of the UCSD Human Milk Biorepository is to establish and maintain a repository of breast milk samples that can be used to learn more about how breast milk influences infant and child health.

Participants in this study will participate in the following:

1. Provide a milk sample:

   If participants agree, the investigators will ask participants to express 50ml (about 2 ounces) of milk. The investigators will take as much as participants wish to donate, or as little as one teaspoon.

2. Answer questions about participant's health:

   Future researchers may need to know if participants have any health problems, or about any treatments participants have had while breastfeeding. The investigators will ask participants for some contact information, health habits, and family's health history.

3. Fill out online questionnaires about participant's eating habits and mood:

   The investigators will ask the participant to answer an online questionnaire about how often participants eat certain foods.

   The investigators will also have the participant answer some questions about the participant's mood and how the participant has been feeling recently. The questionnaires can be completed on a tablet at the visit, or the investigators may send an email with a link to fill it out online. These questionnaires take about 30 minutes altogether.

4. The investigators will store the participant's sample and information in the Human Milk Biorepository:

   The investigators will keep the participant's milk and health information in the Human Milk Biorepository. There is no limit on the length of time we will keep the milk and information. The investigators will keep them as long as they are useful, unless the participant asks to remove them.

5. The investigators will let researchers use the stored materials for approved research studies:

   Researchers can apply to study the samples and information stored in the Human Milk Biorepository.

6. If the participant agrees, the investigators may contact the participant with information about other research studies.