Yes, young mothers with HIV can breastfeed

Reducing the risk of infections, inflammatory diseases and obesity … Breast milk has many benefits. At this time of the pandemic, another virtue has been added to this list. This is the protection that this fluid secreted by the mammary glands of the mother gives against Covid-19. Several studies have found that women infected with the coronavirus have antibodies to the virus in their breast milk. A study published in reconsidering Frontiers in Immunology On December 23, new data going in this direction was highlighted.

For work purposes, US researchers recruited 64 nursing mothers. They repeatedly took women’s milk and nipple cells for two months, after they tested positive for Covid-19. Their goal was to assess IgA antibody concentrations in breast milk after infection with MERS-CoV.

75% of breast milk samples contain protective antibodies

According to the results, 27 samples of the nipple revealed the presence of Covid-19. But this detection of the virus on the breast has been associated with a breastfeeding woman’s cough. Scientists say the virus responsible for Covid-19 was not detected in the participants’ breast milk. Most of the milk samples, or 75% of the 316 samples, contained IgA antibodies, which protect against the coronavirus.

“Concentrations increased during the first two weeks after symptoms of Covid-19 or a positive test”, Can we read in the study. According to the authors, IgA antibodies were present in breast milk for at least 2 months in 77% of mothers. “These findings support recommendations that encourage breastfeeding women to continue breastfeeding during and after infection with Covid-19,” The researchers concluded.