Breastfeeding and HIV-infected women in the United States: harm reduction counseling strategies

Judy Levison; Shannon Weber; Deborah Cohan

doi:10.1093/cid/ciu272

Breastfeeding and HIV-infected women in the United States: harm reduction counseling strategies

Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Jul 15;59(2):304-9. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciu272. Epub 2014 Apr 24.

Authors

Judy Levison¹, Shannon Weber², Deborah Cohan³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
² National HIV/AIDS Clinical Consultation Center.
³ National HIV/AIDS Clinical Consultation Center Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, San Francisco.

PMID: 24771330
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciu272

Abstract

Social and cultural forces have led some human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women to question the recommendation in the United States not to breastfeed. Without an open dialogue, women may choose to breastfeed exclusively or intermittently and not disclose this to their provider. We review the evidence from global studies of the risks of breastfeeding among HIV-infected mothers and propose a harm reduction model for women considering breastfeeding.

Keywords: HIV; United States; breastfeeding; harm reduction; perinatal transmission.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Breast Feeding*
Counseling / methods*
Counseling / statistics & numerical data*
Female
HIV Infections / transmission*
Humans
Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / prevention & control*
Postnatal Care / methods*
Postnatal Care / statistics & numerical data*
United States