Naomi asked for the reference to the new Nduati study:  The Lancet Volume
357, Number 9269
Effect of breastfeeding on mortality among HIV-1 infected women: a
randomised trial
Ruth Nduati, Barbra A Richardson, Grace John, Dorothy Mbori-Ngacha, Anthony
Mwatha, Jeckoniah Ndinya-Achola, Job Bwayo, Francis E Onyango, Joan Kreiss
and
Volume 357, Number 9269     26 May 2001
Newell, ML, Commentary Does breastfeeding really affect mortality among
HIV-1 infected women?
The commentary is really interesting as it is *very sceptical* about the
applicability of this study.

Virginia, I take your point about this study and the (1) poor definitions of
breastfeeding / feeding behaviour and (2) the lack of compliance of the
women.  Especially as compared with the Coutsoudis study (written up as two
papers, The Lancet 1999 and AIDS 2001).

The Coutsoudis group also published a research letter about what their study
could tell us about health outcomes for hiv+ women who breastfeed.
Coutsoudis A. Coovadia H, Pillay K, Kuhn L. Are HIV-infected women who
breastfeed at increased risk of mortality?  AIDS 2001; 15: 653-55.

NB neither study was set up to study the outcomes for women.

As I say, I think we will hear more on this.

Magda Sachs
Breastfeeding Supporter, BfN, UK

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