Primo-Lacto: A closed system for colostrum collection
Problem: Colostrum collection can be challenging due to the small volume produced, and because breast pumps are not designed for colostrum collection. Besides pumping colostrum, the generally accepted practice is to use any available container to hand-express colostrum. Transfer between containers may lead to contamination, higher chance of infection and loss of colostrum.
Solution: For mothers, ease of use and confidence were significantly better when they used the colostrum collection system, Primo-Lacto™ than when they used the standard collection procedure, and this difference was true for both hand and pump expression. Nurses and lactation consultants perceived that ease of use was better, and percent of colostrum lost was significantly less with the colostrum collection system for both hand and pump expression. The Primo-Lacto™ adapter works with any breastpump.
Maternal Life, LLC | Palo Alto, CA | NCC-PDI-Funded | 2018
Primo-Lacto™ was acquired by Lansinoh in 2018 and is sold internationally.
Colostrum is the first nutritional liquid that comes out of the breast during lactation. Colostrum collection can be challenging due to the small volume produced, and because breast pumps are not designed for colostrum collection. Besides pumping colostrum, the generally accepted practice is to use any available container to hand-express colostrum. Transfer between containers may lead to contamination, higher chance of infection and loss of colostrum.
A positive experience during the colostral phase may encourage women to continue breastfeeding long-term, but complications are extremely common. Maternal feeding attitudes, education and the support women receives from her partner and/or family during the first four weeks of breastfeeding greatly affect whether or not she continues breastfeeding for six months to one year. Women should receive appropriate guidance and education while in the hospital in order to help identify and manage common breastfeeding issues.
About 10% of births in the United States are preterm and 17% of mothers in the United States do not initiate breastfeeding due to issues such as birth complications, lack of support, or personal and cultural preferences.
For more information on how Primo-Lacto is used, this is a great video created by a nurse.
Primo Lacto was made possible by grants from The NCC-PDI, a pediatric device consortium funded through the FDA.
PI: Neonatologist Henry Lee, MD
Design Team: Jules P Sherman, MFA, Rush L. Bartlett, Ph.D., MBA, Frank T. Wang, Ph.D., Ryan J. F. Van Wert, MD
US Patent: 10,080,825
