Most women with chronic illnesses or infectious diseases can
breast-feed.
- Women with
diabetes usually can breast-feed but may need to
follow a special diet. They may be able to lower their insulin doses while
breast-feeding because their blood glucose is being used for milk production.
- Women with
cystic fibrosis or
phenylketonuria (PKU) must have their milk and their
infant's health monitored when breast-feeding.
- In most cases,
breast-feeding is possible when the mother has
hepatitis A, chronic
hepatitis B or
hepatitis C, or
cytomegalovirus (CMV).
However, other diseases may make breast milk unsafe for the baby. A
woman should not breast-feed if she:
- Is infected with the human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV) because she can pass the virus to her baby in her
milk.1
- Has active
tuberculosis or some viral infections (such as active,
acute
hepatitis).
- Has sores on her breast caused
by infections (such as
herpes,
syphilis, or
chickenpox) until the illness has been resolved or
successfully treated.
A rare hormonal disorder called
Sheehan's syndrome makes a woman unable to produce
milk or to produce enough milk to feed her baby. Sheehan's syndrome results
from severe bleeding (hemorrhaging) immediately after giving birth.
Citations
Nduati R, et al. (2000). Effect of breastfeeding and
formula feeding on transmission of HIV-1. JAMA, 283(9):
1167-1174.
Nduati R, et al. (2000). Effect of breastfeeding and
formula feeding on transmission of HIV-1. JAMA, 283(9):
1167-1174.
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