Malaria
Is malaria passed to an infant through a mother’s breast milk?
No. However, a nursing mother who plans to travel to a geographic region
where malaria is prevalent is advised to take every precaution to reduce
her risk of infection by following standard preventive approaches. In addition, a nursing mother should thoroughly wash insect
repellents from her hands and breast skin before holding and
breastfeeding her infant or child.
Do antimalarial medications interfere with breastfeeding?
Nursing mothers traveling to malaria-prevalent regions should adhere to
the standard recommended dosage of antimalarial medications appropriate
for the country they are visiting. For a list of specific antimalarial
drugs, see
CDC’s Yellow Book Chapter
4:
Malaria, Table 4–9.
The breastfeeding child needs his or her own antimalarial drug.
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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