Abstract

PIP: The International Child Health Group of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health is displeased with the UNAIDS, UNICEF, and WHO policy statement endorsing the artificial feeding of infants. The statement holds that with nutritionally adequate breast milk substitutes safely prepared and fed to the infants of mothers with HIV infection, the infants are at less risk of morbidity and mortality than if they were breast-fed. This global policy has more potential to harm than help, for women in extremely poor and unsuitable settings may wrongly decide to adopt bottlefeeding. The better strategy is to promote exclusive breast-feeding for 4-6 months. Efforts should also be made to reduce the vertical transmission of HIV by increasing the use of short-course zidovudine wherever feasible. Further efforts should be made to address the factors which contribute to HIV infection and prevent social and economic development.