Question
Can a HIV positive mother breastfeed?
5 April 2017. Related: All topics, Children.
Can HIV + mother breastfeed, without transmission?
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch.
If the woman is on treatment and has an undetectable viral load, then yes they can breastfeed. Also if their viral load is detectable, but they are on treatment, yet don’t have access to formula, they can breastfeed. For more info please see the following for the World Health Organisation:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/246260/1/9789241549707-eng.pdf?ua=1
Hi Famida,
If a child is going to contract HIV it will be from their mothers. Their fathers status isn’t of relevance. So you having sex without a condom won’t be an issue.
Hi am HIV positive and I have a baby 2months old we are all on Arvs but the dad doesnt know his hiv status and we are active in sexual not can the baby be affected
Hi Dineo,
I hope you don’t mind but I’ve put your 3 comments together in this one.
I’m really sorry about the confusion. But as Angelina says on this previous Q&A, The answer to your question depends on which country you live in. This is because different countries have different guidelines for the management of HIV in pregnancy.
Here in the UK, only bottle feeding is recommended. However, in other parts of the world they recommend breastfeeding exclusively for six months. Mix feeding, by breastfeeding and bottle feeding, is not recommended because that can increase the risk to your baby of HIV.
So, both nurses are right. You can choose to bottle feed with formula. Or you can breastfeed exclusively for six months without mixing with bottle feeding. Then you can wean your baby onto soft food.
Bottle feeding is fine. But giving her soft food before six months is not usually recommended. Please can you talk to the nurses about when to start giving her food?
Hi am HIV positive and am really confused. At my clinic they say I should not breast feed the baby, another nurse at the nearest clinic says I should breast feed the baby for the first six months. Which one is more important right now breast feed or bottle feeding am really confused about the situation.
Hi am HIV positive my parents want me to breast feed and use formula is it safe???
Hi if I bottle feeding the baby who is one month four weeks and giving her food it is wrong?
Hi Ntandhoh,
Babies over 12 months don’t need breast milk. They can have normal cows milk. Breastfeeding long term isn’t recommended. If you continue to breastfeed, then yes depending on where it is that you live, both you and you baby will need regular blood tests.
I’m hiv positive and my baby is 1 year now I don’t know how I can stop breastfeeding him cause they say at clinic I must stop. Cause they can’t put me in on club. Cause the baby is negative now if I’m breastfeeding him they have to take blood every 3 month Me and the baby. Is it true?
Hi Unknown,
As Lisa says above, even with a detectable viral load women can breastfeed if they don’t have access to formula.
But do you have access to your viral load results? Is it possible for you to talk to the clinic about this? You can ask how your treatment is going and if your viral load will go down further. What HIV meds are you taking?
can i breast feed my unborn baby im 37weeks pregnant my cd4 count is 250viral load is 74
Hi Sphiwe,
Your viral load isn’t an issue at all, its still very much undetectable as its less than 50. This is great news. If you cannot afford formula then yes the only real option is to breastfeed your baby, this is until he turns 12 months. Are you still giving him medication? How have his test results been?
Hi lisa i went to the clinic and my viral load has been undetectable but now they told me that it s 20 it is starting to show i hav been taking my meds correctly and am nt sexually active am beast feeding my baby is now 11mnths i can’t afford fomula milk since am unemployed….is safe for me to continue breastfeeding my LO until he turns 12 months hes last trst was negative.