Breastfeeding and maternal HIV-1 disease progression and mortality

AIDS. 2004 Apr 30;18(7):1043-9. doi: 10.1097/00002030-200404300-00013.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association between breastfeeding and disease progression among HIV-infected women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Design and methods: Cohort study design with Cox proportional hazards models.

Results: The relative risk of death comparing women who recently had been breastfeeding to those who were not breastfeeding was 0.47 (95% confidence interval, 0.18-1.20). Neither breastfeeding status nor the duration of exclusive or partial breastfeeding was associated with HIV-1 disease progression, represented by death or development of a low CD4 cell count, anemia or excessive weight loss, in multivariate analyses. These associations remained insignificant when women with relatively low and high CD4 cell counts were analyzed separately.

Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to support the hypothesis that breastfeeding is detrimental to the health of HIV-infected women.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Breast Feeding*
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Cohort Studies
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • HIV Infections / mortality*
  • HIV-1*
  • Humans
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Risk Assessment
  • Tanzania / epidemiology
  • Weight Loss