Question
Is it safe to breastfeed?
1 June 2017. Related: All topics, Children.
I’m 7 months pregnant and I was born positive but I only started treatment in 2014. I want to breastfeed my baby but I’m not sure if its 100% safe. I’m scared what happened to me might happen to my baby as well.
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch.
The current guidelines from the World Health Organisation are that if a woman is on treatment and has an undetectable viral load that they can breastfeed their babies. However, not all countries follow these guidelines.
For more info, please see here:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/246260/1/9789241549707-eng.pdf?ua=1
Please talk to your doctor or health worker about breastfeeding. If formula milk is available and you have access to clean water, this has zero risk of HIV transmission.
Hi Chy,
If a women is on medication and her viral load is undetectable the risks are minimal, however there is still a very small risk. If a woman’s viral load is detectable, the risk is greater.
how safe is breastfeeding in HIV positive mothers?