Breastfeeding when HIV positive?

[littleducks]

This is for academic purposes, not for a specific situation. I was discussing HIV transmission at uni, my belief based on information on here (tiktok) is that current guidance in developing countries is to bf exclusively for 6 mo, as there are reasons to do with gut permeability that mix feeding can cause a higher rate of HIV infection in the baby.

I have searched archives and viewed the papers that i can for free but cant seem to find the study that backs this up.

Can anyone help, (if i'm wrong evidence refuting my view is helpful too)

Have you got the book The Politics of Breastfeeding? Might be worth getting it from the library if not, they have a big section on HIV.

I believe that breastfeeding for 6 months is recommended in developing countries for HIV positive mothers mainly because the risks of bottlefeeding in developing countries are much higher than they are in developed countries, but I could be wrong.

you aren't wrong. hang on, will just find my copy of POB

ok, references in POB

mother to child transmission of HIV-1 infection during exclusive breastfeeding in first 6 months of life: an intervention cohort stufy
www.thelancet.co.uk

not sure if you need to subscribe to the lancet though?

i believe that exclusive formula feeding is generally the way to go with an HIV positive mother.

however, as bertiebotts says, the risks of formula feeding in the developing world are higher than the risk of contracting HIV from breastmilk

it's important that the baby is EXCLUSIVELY breastfed though, no water, no tea, no nothing because potentially any damage to the developing gut could allow the virus to pass into the baby

The WHO documents are fully referenced, and explain all the considerations

WHO also have a policy on HIV and infant feeding which you ought to be able to find on their site

Thank you!

I can view the summary and will take that in

also see if you can find the full version of this

and this might help too

really worth getting a copy of POB though

That is great, will really help.

Truely fascinating studies as well

The latest WHO advice for HIV+ mothers is exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, with continued breastfeeding and complementary foods for 12 months, and mothers to receive appropriate antiretroviral therapy for their own health, and to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV. The new advice (Dec 2009) can be found at
www.who.int/hiv/pub/mtct/rapid_advice_mtct.pdf and at
whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241598873_eng.pdf A good paper which discusses infant gut permeability and HIV is Smith MM and Kuhn L, Exclusive breast-feeding: does it have the potential to reduce breast-feeding transmission of HIV-1?. Nutrition Reviews 2000;58(11):333-340.

Have a look at the UNICEF website - I know they talk about this a lot and i would imagine they'll have some good materials which may be more accessible than the WHO stuff itself.