Hi Isabella,
The Medical community highly discourages mothers here in the States to breastfeed her baby if she is HIV positive because of the risks of transmission to the baby.We also have plenty of treatment options availabe for the infants to decreasr risk of seroconversion. Many times in developing countries infants can not or mothers are not treated for the HIV virus and this places the infant at an even greater risks. In developing nations, breastfeeding with HIV out weighs the risks of formula feeding. Many of the breastfed infants do not remain HIV postive. Mothering magazine had a good article on this topic last year. Check out their website www.mothering.com . YOu can also find some info on www.cdc.gov
Good Luck
Tamara Hawkins
Isabella Engelbrecht <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hi, I’m a nursing student currently doing my BSN. First off I want to
thank anyone who chooses to respond. This posting is part of an assignment
for class and your input would be greatly valued.
HIV and Lactation
The WHO recently published a research study (Bull World Health Organ. 2005
Jun;83(6):418-26. Epub 2005 Jun 17) that determined the association of
different feeding patterns for infants with HIV infected mothers, with
mortality and hospital admissions. The study used populations from three
developing countries (Ghana, India and Peru) and showed that in the 9424
infants monitored mortality was higher in those who did not breastfeed
than those who did (predominantly breastfed and exclusively breastfed).
Death in non breastfed infants were mostly related to acute lower
respiratory infections and diarrhea.
As I have learned in class (and from Dr Green,
http://www.drgreene.com/21_552.html) breastfeeding is far superior to any
other means of infant feeding. Due to that fact that its composition
includes immunoglobins, lactoferrin (which have an antibiotic effect on
bacteria such as Staph and E.coli), Lysoszyme, Growth Factors, Allergic
factors, Carnatine, and DHA & AHA, in relation to formula there is no
comparison.
The American Academy of Pediatrics stated in their policy concerning
breast milk that they have found it to reduce the incidence and/or
severity of diseases such as diarrhea, lower respiratory infections, ear
infections, bacterial meningitis, and urinary tract infections. (American
Academy of Pediatrics Work Group on Breastfeeding, Pediatrics 100:1035-
1039, 1997)].
As searching previous posts from Lactnet as well as searching PubMed I
found many entries on breastfeeding and HIV in developing countries but
not many specific to the States. My question is what are the current
practices concerning lactation and the HIV infected mother here in the
States (for nurses as well as nurse practitioners) and/or what have you
personally experienced or seen in the clinical setting concerning this
subject?
Once again thank you for your input.
Isabella, RN to be.
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