Mothers Should Continue Breastfeeding Even If COVID Positive?
Breastfeeding is essential for providing the infant with the nutrition it requires to survive and develop well. A study done by the WHO recommends that mothers should continue to breastfeed their infants even with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
This scientific brief examines the evidence to date on the risks of transmission of COVID-19 from an infected mother to her baby through breastfeeding as well as evidence on the risks to child health from not breastfeeding.
A systematic review of evidence was conducted on papers published in various journals. A total of 46 mother-infant pairs had their breast-milk samples tested for COVID, out of which only samples from 3 mothers tested positive for viral particles. However, the detection of COVID-19 viral RNA in breast-milk is not the same as finding viable and infective virus.
For there to be transmission of COVID-19, the virus would have to be infective and be able overcome infant defence systems. Furthermore, breast milk contains special antibodies from the mother which protects infants against infection and death. The antibodies protective against the COVID-19 virus have been detected in breast-milk of mothers previously infected with COVID-19.
In light of all these findings, WHO recommends that mother and infant should remain together and can safely practice skin-to-skin contact especially immediately after birth and during breastfeeding, regardless of whether they or their infants have suspected or confirmed corona virus infections. Mothers should wear their face masks and maintain hygienic conditions. Mothers should be counselled that the benefits of breastfeeding substantially outweigh the potential risks for transmission.
References:
Breastfeeding and COVID-19. World Health Organization. Breastfeeding and COVID-19 (who.int). Accessed on May 27, 2021.
Previous : Don’t want to undergo Mammography? Get a clinical breast examination done instead!