Diseases transmitted through breast milk

There are some diseases between mother and baby that can be transmitted to the baby through breastfeeding, such as AIDS. All diseases that can be transmitted through body fluids can be transmitted between mother and baby. Therefore, if the mother of the baby suffers from any infectious disease, it is not recommended to breastfeed the baby before the disease is cured. Therefore, the mother should first understand whether her disease is contagious, and then decide whether to breastfeed the baby. What diseases can be transmitted through breast milk?

1. It is not recommended to breastfeed your baby after taking contraindicated medicine for a cold.

When the mother's condition is serious and she needs to take medication, and the medication is contraindicated during breastfeeding, it is not recommended to breastfeed the baby. It is best to consult a doctor before taking medication during breastfeeding.

2. The mother has a serious infectious disease

When a mother suffers from infectious diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis, etc., she must stop breastfeeding. For other acute infectious diseases, such as influenza, hepatitis C, and cytomegalovirus infection, she can use a breast pump to extract the milk, disinfect it, and then feed it to the baby to avoid transmitting the disease to the baby.

3. If you have acute mastitis or nipple fissures, you need to suspend breastfeeding and receive timely symptomatic treatment to avoid worsening of the condition. It is recommended that mothers use a breast pump to express breast milk and feed the baby with a spoon or dropper.

4. Breastfeeding is generally contraindicated if the baby suffers from serious diseases such as chronic nephritis, diabetes, malignant tumors, mental illness, epilepsy, etc., as well as chemotherapy and radioactive drug treatments.

5. Mothers who suffer from cardiovascular disease or heart failure should stop breastfeeding.

6. When the mother has a cold and her temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees, she should stop breastfeeding the baby.

Hepatitis B: Hepatitis B can be transmitted vertically to the baby through the birth process, causing the baby to be infected with the disease. Therefore, the hospital will require the baby to be injected with hepatitis B globulin and regular hepatitis B vaccine immediately after birth. Although hepatitis B virus can be isolated in breast milk, many medical reports have confirmed that as long as the baby has received regular vaccinations, the chance of infection will not increase.

AIDS: AIDS is mainly transmitted through blood, but it is still unclear whether breastfeeding is related to a baby's AIDS infection. However, mothers with AIDS are still advised not to breastfeed.

Tuberculosis: Mothers with tuberculosis can transmit the disease to their babies through the infection in the uterus, but not through breast milk. However, if the mother's tuberculosis is contagious, she should be separated from her baby to avoid infection.