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<h1>Breastfeeding - www.breastfeeding.org.nz</h1>

HIV positive


Can I breastfeed if I am HIV positive?


The Ministry of Health has recommended that HIV-infected mothers in New Zealand do not breastfeed their children.

Safe and effective alternatives to breast milk are available in New Zealand (Ministry of Health 1999a). Infant mortality rates are low compared to developing countries where the nutritional and health benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risk of transmitting HIV.

Mothers infected with HIV who choose not to breastfeed from birth or stop breastfeeding should be provided with specific guidance and support for the first two years of the child’s life to ensure safe and adequate replacement feeding.

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Page last reviewed: 31 July 2008


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