In January 2023, the guidelines for breastfeeding in HIV exposed infants were updated. For the first time, these guidelines included the opportunity to discuss breastfeeding with mothers who are interested in breastfeeding their newborns. The guidelines do not recommend breastfeeding but provide guidance on how to manage the newborn if the mother decides to breastfeed after having received all the information about the possibility of transmission of HIV infection while breastfeeding.
Similar to the guidelines, this algorithm from FCAAP’s Emerging Infections Task Force is not recommending breastfeeding, rather providing guidance on how to manage the baby who is being breastfed by an HIV infected mother. We also recommend that all breast-fed babies of HIV-infected mothers should be followed in an HIV program so that they can be counseled by a team and followed regularly.
Download a PDF of the HIV Exposed Infant Breastfeeding Algorithm here.
The distribution of this Algorithm is made possible through funding from the AAP Section on Infectious Diseases.