Breastfeeding Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Breastfeeding, including details on breast feeding benefits, problems, alcohol, diet.

Breastfeeding and HIV.

Coutsoudis A

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Room 261, Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag 7, Congella 4013, South Africa. coutsoud@ukzn.ac.nz

Breastfeeding is a route of HIV transmission from an HIV-infected mother to her infant. However, breastfeeding is an important pillar of child survival and the ideal way of feeding an infant, as well as providing a unique biological and emotional basis for child development. This chapter will highlight the dilemma created by the risks and benefits of breastfeeding and will discuss factors which increase the risk of HIV transmission during breastfeeding, as well as strategies which could be employed to reduce these risks. The research agenda is very full as many questions still remain unanswered.

Published 21 March 2005 in Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol, 19(2): 185-96.
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