WHO guidelines for HIV breastfeeding?

WHO Guidelines for HIV and Breastfeeding
The World Health Organization (WHO) has established comprehensive guidelines regarding breastfeeding for mothers living with HIV, emphasizing the importance of balancing the benefits of breastfeeding with the risks of HIV transmission to infants. These guidelines are particularly crucial in regions where HIV prevalence is high and where access to safe alternatives to breast milk may be limited.
Exclusive Breastfeeding Recommendations
According to the latest WHO guidelines, mothers living with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and adhere to their treatment should practice exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of their infant’s life. This means that the infant should receive only breast milk, with no additional food or drink, not even water. After this initial period, mothers are encouraged to introduce complementary foods while continuing to breastfeed until the child is at least 12 months old. In some cases, breastfeeding can continue for up to 24 months or longer, depending on the mother’s health and the infant’s needs .
Support and Counseling
The WHO guidelines stress the necessity of providing mothers with patient-centered, evidence-based counseling on infant feeding options. This approach allows for shared decision-making between mothers and healthcare providers, ensuring that mothers are well-informed about their choices and the implications of breastfeeding while living with HIV. The guidelines also highlight the importance of health services in supporting mothers to improve their feeding practices, which can significantly impact both maternal and infant health.
Addressing Risks and Benefits
While breastfeeding is encouraged, the guidelines also recognize that there are situations where breastfeeding may not be advisable, particularly if the mother is not on ART or if her viral load is not well controlled. In such cases, the risk of HIV transmission through breast milk may outweigh the benefits of breastfeeding. Therefore, the WHO recommends that mothers living with HIV should be supported in adhering to ART to maintain an undetectable viral load, which significantly reduces the risk of transmission.
Global Context and Health Outcomes
The WHO’s recommendations are particularly relevant in settings where infectious diseases like diarrhea and pneumonia are prevalent, as breastfeeding can provide essential nutrients and immunity to infants. The guidelines advocate for national health authorities to promote and support breastfeeding in these contexts, alongside providing antiretroviral drugs. This holistic approach aims to reduce infant mortality rates while ensuring that mothers living with HIV can safely nourish their children.
In summary, the WHO guidelines for breastfeeding among mothers living with HIV underscore the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by continued breastfeeding with complementary feeding up to 12 months or longer, all while ensuring that mothers are supported in their ART adherence. This balanced approach aims to protect both maternal and infant health in the context of HIV.

Who guidelines for breastfeeding in HIV mothers?

Breastfeeding HIV-positive women:
Mothers who are known to be HIV-infected, and not on lifelong ART, who decide to stop breastfeeding at any time should do so gradually during one month while the baby continues to receive daily NVP and should continue for one week after all breastfeeding has stopped.

What are the new guidelines for breastfeeding with HIV?

January 31, 2023
The updated guidelines note that: The risk of postnatal HIV transmission to an infant is zero with the use of safe replacement feeding. Properly prepared formula or pasteurized human donor milk from a milk bank eliminates risk of HIV transmission to the infant.

Are you allowed to breastfeed if you are HIV-positive?

Mothers living with HIV should breastfeed for at least 12 months and may continue breastfeeding for up to 24 months or longer (similar to the general population) while being fully supported for ART adherence (see the WHO Consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV …

Can a mother who has HIV breastfeed?

Mothers living with HIV should breastfeed for at least 12 months and may continue breastfeeding for up to 24 months or longer (similar to the general population) while being fully supported for ART adherence (see the WHO Consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV …

What are the new guidelines for breastfeeding?

How long should infants be breastfed? Exclusive breastfeeding for about the first six months is recommended. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends continued breastfeeding while introducing appropriate complementary foods until children are 12 months or older.

What are the guidelines for HIV positive mothers?

If you have HIV and take HIV medicine as prescribed throughout your pregnancy and childbirth and give HIV medicine to your baby for 2-6 weeks after giving birth, your risk of transmitting HIV to your baby can be less than 1%. As long as your viral load remains undetectable, you can have a normal delivery.

What are the updates on HIV and infant feeding?

The CDC consistent statement was that “in the United States, to prevent HIV transmission, it is recommended that mothers living with HIV not breastfeed their infants.”14 In 2023, the DHHS Perinatal HIV Guidelines were revised to include a greater focus on shared decision-making.

What is the who recommendation for breastfeeding?

WHO and UNICEF recommend that children initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water. Infants should be breastfed on demand – that is as often as the child wants, day and night.

What are the CDC guidelines for HIV exposure infants?

Management of Infants Born to People with HIV Infection
All newborns perinatally exposed to HIV should receive appropriate antiretroviral (ARV) drugs as soon as possible, preferably within 6 hours, after delivery (see Antiretroviral Management of Infants with Perinatal HIV Exposure or HIV Infection) (AI).

What are the CDC guidelines for breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans [PDF-30.6MB] recommend that infants be exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months, and then continuing breastfeeding while introducing appropriate complementary foods until your child is 12 months old or older.