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. 2020 Jul 25;15(1):67.
doi: 10.1186/s13006-020-00306-8.

Mistakes from the HIV pandemic should inform the COVID-19 response for maternal and newborn care

Karleen Gribble  1 , Roger Mathisen  2 , Mija-Tesse Ververs  3 , Anna Coutsoudis  4
Affiliations

Mistakes from the HIV pandemic should inform the COVID-19 response for maternal and newborn care

Karleen Gribble et al. Int Breastfeed J. .

Abstract

Background: In an effort to prevent infants being infected with SARS-CoV-2, some governments, professional organisations, and health facilities are instituting policies that isolate newborns from their mothers and otherwise prevent or impede breastfeeding.

Weighing of risks is necessary in policy development: Such policies are risky as was shown in the early response to the HIV pandemic where efforts to prevent mother to child transmission by replacing breastfeeding with infant formula feeding ultimately resulted in more infant deaths. In the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of maternal SARS-CoV-2 transmission needs to be weighed against the protection skin-to-skin contact, maternal proximity, and breastfeeding affords infants.

Conclusion: Policy makers and practitioners need to learn from the mistakes of the HIV pandemic and not undermine breastfeeding in the COVID-19 pandemic. It is clear that in order to maximise infant health and wellbeing, COVID-19 policies should support skin-to-skin contact, maternal proximity, and breastfeeding.

Keywords: COVID-19; HIV; Infant and young child feeding in emergencies; Policy development; Prevention of mother-to-child-transmission.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
WHO infographic supporting maternal proximity, skin-to-skin contact, and breastfeeding for women who have COVID-19
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
WHO infographic illustrating the hygiene measures to be undertaken by breastfeeding women who have COVID-19
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
WHO infographic presenting breastmilk options if mothers are too ill with COVID-19 to breastfeed
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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