Thanks to Sandra's question on my blog from the other day, I am posting more information on HIV and breastfeeding.

Worldwide, HIV-infection among young women is far outstripping infection in men and the health of tomorrow’s mothers is crucial to child survival.

Most HIV-infected women do not transmit HIV to their infants. A mother can transmit HIV to her infant during pregnancy and delivery or through breastfeeding, but most babies of mothers with HIV are not infected. With no intervention to reduce transmission, 5–10 percent of infants will be infected during pregnancy, 10–20 percent during labor and delivery, and 10–20 percent through breastfeeding if breastfed for 18 to 24 months. Using the midpoints of these ranges, among 100 HIV-infected women, 7 of their infants will be infected with HIV during pregnancy, another 15 during labor and delivery; and another 15 over the course of about 2 years of breastfeeding. 63 infants will not become infected with HIV, even if breastfed and without any intervention in place to prevent transmission. While the WHO estimates that over 1 million infants have become infected with HIV via breastfeeding over the last 20 years, they also estimate that 30 million non-breastfed infants have lost their lives over the same period of time, from causes related directly to not breastfeeding.

In countries like the US, Canada and those in western Europe, the recommendation is that all HIV+ mothers formula feed their babies. (There are a number of HIV+ women who are still choosing to breastfeed in these countries.) In developing countries, however, the recommendations are different. Currently, they are that mothers EXCLUSIVELY breastfeed for 6 months, then wean abruptly and introduce the child to other forms of nutrition. Breast is best, formula is next, but most dangerous to the babe is combining breastfeeding with any other form of feeding, whether that be solids, formula, juice or other. What happens is the “foreign” foods (meaning anything other than breastmilk) causes irritation in the stomach lining - microscopic tears, if you will - which allows the HIV virus to pass into the blood stream MUCH more easily. However, as the article I mentioned the other day pointed out, these recommendations may soon be changing and recommending longer periods of breastfeeding to optimize infant health.

(Continued here)