Reporting from South African data presented in Toronto
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PanAfrica: Breast is Best - Even for Babies With HIV+ Mums
Anso Thom
Toronto
A South African study has conclusively shown that babies with HIV positive mothers who are exclusively breastfed are significantly less likely to get the virus than if they get breastmilk and other food mixed.
Babies born HIV negative were 11 times more likely to become infected by their HIV positive mothers if given both breastmilk and solids in their first six months than those who were only fed breastmilk.
In addition, babies who are exclusively breastfed have a much lower risk of death from other infectious diseases such as diarrhoea in the first three months than those that are formula fed.
Professor Nigel Rollins, lead investigator from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said the problem with current government policy was that simply giving free formula milk in many cases results in mixed feeding.
"But mixed feeding is the worst outcome being associated with increased transmission and increased mortality. "As a study group we feel that women are driven or unduly drawn to replacement feeding by the offer of free formula and that they should be offered an equivalent 'incentive' to exclusively breastfeed such as nutrition support to the mother herself.
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Claudio Schuftan
mailto:claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn