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. 2021 Aug;88(8):800-801.
doi: 10.1007/s12098-021-03681-0. Epub 2021 Feb 8.

Is SARS-CoV-2 Transmitted Through Breastfeeding?

S Thanigainathan  1 , Venkatesh Kaliyaperumal  2 , Sindhu Sivanandan  1 , Sasirekha Rengaraj  3 , Rahul Dhodapkar  2 , Adhisivam Bethou  4
Affiliations

Is SARS-CoV-2 Transmitted Through Breastfeeding?

S Thanigainathan et al. Indian J Pediatr. 2021 Aug.

Abstract

There are concerns regarding the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from mother to child during this COVID pandemic. This descriptive study was done to check the possible transmission of the virus through breastfeeding in the Indian context. RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 was done in breast milk samples from 30 COVID-positive mothers. Paired oropharyngeal swabs of the same neonates were also sent for RT-PCR at 48 h and on day 5 of life. All the breast milk samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2 except one. A repeat sample of breast milk from the same mother was also negative when rechecked the next day. All the paired neonatal oropharyngeal swabs were also negative for SARS-CoV-2. The authors could not find evidence for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from mother to child through breastmilk in the population studied.

Keywords: Breast milk; COVID-19; Pandemic; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

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