Dear Denise, personal communication that I had with a hepatologist at UCLA
last year when I had a pregnant patient with hep C antibodies revealed a
quote of less that 2 percent risk of transmitting hep C infection by
breastfeeding. Apparently, alot more load of the virus is necessary ( as
compared with HIV) that what can be transmitted thru breastmilk to really
infect the baby. The hepatologist was very encouraging about breastfeeding.
Unfortunately, I have no literature on this at hand, as usual I am at home.
I would definitely inform the woman about this risk, however. -Anne Eglash