If you suspect you or your child may have been exposed to measles or have a fever, cough, runny nose, pink eye, and/or a rash, please call ahead to UI Health Care at 1-800-777-8442 prior to arriving at any health care facility.
Because decades of research have established that human milk is the perfect food for infants, the Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa collects, stores, and distributes human milk to those who need it.
There are many benefits to breastfeeding, including the immune system boosters and infection-fighting factors.
All donated milk collected by Mother’s Milk Bank is pasteurized. After pasteurization it is tested for bacteria, then frozen for shipping. Each bottle contains 100mL and is labeled with an expiration date.
The Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa is an accredited member milk bank of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). HMBANA is a professional association for supporters of non-profit donor human milk banking. In 2025, HMBANA banks dispensed 13 million ounces of donor milk to fragile infants in need.
The mission of the Mother’s Milk Bank of Iowa is to improve the health of infants across the United States by providing pasteurized donor human milk to families and hospitals.
Launched during World Breastfeeding Week in August 2002, the Mother’s Milk Bank was co-founded by Jean Drulis and Ekhard Ziegler, MD, with funds they generated from grants, foundations, and gifts.
The current director is Srivalli Swathi Mamillapalli, MBBS MBA, Office Phone: 319-356-2652
The Mother’s Milk Bank of Iowa operates in accordance with the Human Milk Banking Association of North America guidelines for the establishment and operation of a donor human milk bank.
Milk collection depots are volunteer agencies affiliated with the Mother’s Milk Bank of Iowa that collect and store milk from approved milk donors in freezers provided by the milk bank. The milk collection depots enhance donor participation and donation (see Support Options and Sponsors section). Depots are located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
In 2025, milk was dispensed to 9 states, 43 hospitals were served, 73% of the donated milk was dispensed to hospitals and 27% to infants at home. Due to the generosity of milk donors, we are positioned to fill orders from new hospitals without interrupting service to our current hospitals.
