Patricia has mentioned the reference in the Medical Journal of Australia (17
July)
Grayson ML Braniff KM "Breastfeeding and the risk of vertical transmisssion
of hepatitis C virus" 163:107: 1995.
They studied 15 women who were hep C pos, HIV neg. Of their 24 children, 16
had been breastfed; none of the children had hep C antibody. They concluded:
"breastfeeding is not a major risk factor of maternal-infant transmission of
HCV ...although the risk of breastfeeding during acute HCV infection (when
viral titres may be very high) remains uncertain. On the basis of these data
we no longer recommend against breastfeeding in anti-HCV-positive mothers
with HCV antibodies unless there is significant, unavoidable, neonatal
exposure to blood due to nipple trauma".
Regards,
Lisa Amir
GP / LC in Melbourne, Australia