I have gone back to the archives and read all the posts regarding the
woman who lost custody of her child because she was HIV+ and wanted to
breastfeed.  Am I missing something?   I believe that HIV DOES cause
AIDS, and that HIV CAN be transmitted through breastmilk.  According to
the article I read in yesterday's paper, two cases were cited in court
in which infants became became HIV+ through breastmilk.  One was a woman
who had transfusions after a postpartum hemorrhage, got the virus from
the transfusions, then passed it on to her baby through breastfeeding.
The other was a baby who had been breastfed by a friend of the mother
who was HIV+ and transmitted the virus to the baby.  The mother was
HIV-.  Am I wrong to believe that these things really do happen?  If the
Turners lived in a place where the choice was, 1. Breastfeed your baby
and run the risk of passing on HIV, or 2. Don't breastfeed your baby and
essentially guarantee that your baby will die of  ----------, then you
can bet I would support her breastfeeding.  But this isn't the case, as
far as I know.  Is this baby not at higher risk for contracting HIV if
his mother breastfeeds him?  If not, then why not?  I think it is tragic
that these parents lost custody, but I don't think its tragic that his
mother won't be breastfeeding him when she's HIV+.  I would never take
that risk with my own child.  How could I justify it later on if she
contracted HIV?  "I know you're HIV+ honey, but at least you don't have
eczema or ear infections.".

I guess I can understand where the mother is coming from if she doesn't
believe that HIV causes AIDS.  So am I correct in assuming that those on
this list who support her efforts to breastfeed also believe that AIDS
is not caused by HIV?  If not, then why would you support breastfeeding
in this case?  If anyone can give me answers and educate me, please do
and please reply to the list, because I have a hunch I'm not the only
one who would like to know.

Also, I need to say that I don't know how Jack's question could NOT be
about abortion.  As someone who is pro-choice, I don't see how the two
compare, and hope that the topic can be kept off the list.

Thanks,
Katy Giller, RN
Boulder, CO

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