Human milk calculator: Saving lives - saving money

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OMM economic value calculator

Save lives, save money with own mother's milk

Own mother's milk (OMM) is a low-cost, high-impact intervention clearly shown to reduce the incidence and severity of costly morbidities. For infants born very low birth weight (VLBW, i.e. < 1,500 g) there is a clear dose-response relationship. For this reason, OMM should be considered a medical intervention and given the same priority and tracking as any other medicine. Whilst this population is small, these infants are the most vulnerable and costly, but also those who benefit the most from OMM.

Use the calculator below to model your hospital’s reductions in the incidence of morbidities and the associated cost savings through an improved dose of OMM.

This model is pre-populated with figures identified in relevant literature. ^1–3

Please provide the number of infants born VLBW (< 1,500 g): i

Please provide your hospital’s average cost (per case) associated with the treatment of NEC (medical/surgical): i

Please provide your hospital’s average cost (per case) associated with the treatment of late onset sepsis: i

Enter your current OMM dose and incidence rates:

In this section you can detail your hospital’s OMM dose and morbidity rates to determine current outcomes.

Percentage of your VLBW (< 1,500 g) infants fed OMM exclusively in the first 14 days of life: i

Average daily dose of OMM (ml/kg/day) fed to your VLBW (< 1,500 g) infants for the first 28 days of life: i

ml/kg/day

Please provide the incidence rate (%) of NEC among your VLBW (< 1,500 g) infants: i

Please provide the incidence rate (%) of late onset sepsis among your VLBW (< 1,500 g) infants: i

Calculated outcomes based on your current practice:

NEC cases: Current practice results in cases of NEC with associated costs

Late onset sepsis cases: Current practice results in cases of late onset sepsis with associated costs

Enter your target OMM dose:

Use the slider to model how improved feeding practices can reduce the incidence and costs of NEC and late onset sepsis.

What % of your VLBW (< 1,500 g) infants could be exclusively OMM-fed for their first 14 days of life? %

What average daily dose of OMM could you achieve for the first 28 days of life? ml/kg/day

Based on the improved OMM dose, NEC incidence could be reduced to

Based on the improved OMM dose, late onset sepsis could be reduced to

Calculated outcomes based on your target OMM dose:

NEC cases: Improved practice may result in cases of NEC with associated costs

Late onset sepsis cases: Improved practice may result in cases of late onset sepsis with associated costs

Health and economic outcomes

Based on the provided information, improved own mother's milk dose has been modelled to result in

Fewer cases of NEC

Fewer cases of late onset sepsis

Total cost savings

Download the Results

Health economic models provide best estimates based on available literature. Medela does not guarantee incidence reductions nor cost savings generated by this model.

References

Bigger HR et al. Quality indicators for human milk use in very low-birthweight infants: are we measuring what we should be measuring? J.Perinatol. 2014; 34(4):287–291. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24526005].
Johnson TJ et al. Cost savings of human milk as a strategy to reduce the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants. Neonatology. 2015; 107(4):271-276. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25765818].
Patel AL et al. Impact of early human milk on sepsis and health-care costs in very low birth weight infants. J Perinatol. 2013; 33(7):514-519. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23370606].