Breastfeeding and HIV-Positive Moms

South African health officials say HIV Positive Moms Can Breastfeed Too:

According to a study done by University of KwaZulu-Natal paediatrics professor, Anna Coutsoudis, it is safe for HIV positive mothers to breastfeed their children for up to six months, as long as they don't combine this with infant formula.

Mixed feeding introduces allergens and contaminants into the baby's gut, which could cause inflammation and thus make it easier for the HI virus to pass from mother to child, she explains.

An estimated 3.83 million South Aficans are HIV+; 55 percent of those infected are women. Prevalence is highest among women aged 15 to 49 (i.e. women of childbearing age) with an overall rate of 20 percent. (link)