Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and Acquired Immunodeficiency Virus (AIDS)
Should a woman infected with HIV breastfeed her baby?
No. The CDC policy continues to be that HIV-infected women in the United
States should not
breastfeed their infants.
Reference: HHS. Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding. 2000
(PDF-457K), pp 12-13.
Should a woman who has been exposed to HIV during her pregnancy or
around the time of delivery breastfeed her baby?
No. CDC recommends that infected women in the United States refrain from
breastfeeding to avoid postnatal transmission of HIV-1 to their infants
through breast milk. These recommendations also should be followed by
women receiving antiretroviral therapy. Passage of antiretroviral drugs
into breast milk has been evaluated for only a few antiretroviral drugs.
ZDV, 3TC, and nevirapine have been detected in the breast milk of women.
For more information on maternal-infant transmission of HIV, visit
AIDSinfo's Maternal-Child Transmission.
Are special precautions needed for handling breast milk?
No special precautions exist for handling expressed human milk, nor does
the milk require special labeling. It is not considered a biohazard. The
Universal Precautions to prevent the transmission of human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis B virus, and other bloodborne
pathogens do not apply to human milk.
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Page last updated: May 22, 2007
Content Source: Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion