Exclusive Breast-Feeding Is Safer Than strongMixedstrong Feeding For.pdfVIP

D I G E S T S Exclusive Breast-Feeding Is Safer Than Mixed Feeding For Infants Born to HIV-Positive Mothers Breast-fed infants who are also given solid foods ceiving formula, with or without other liquids counts of fewer than 200 cells or 200–500 cells or milk from formula are at higher risk of HIV or solids.) Mothers reported feeding practices per microliter had a higher risk of HIV infec- infection than those who are exclusively breast- to independent monitors every week for six tion (3.8 and 2.4, respectively) than those fed, according to a study of mother-to-child months; infants were tested monthly for HIV whose mothers had counts of more than 500 transmission of HIV in KwaZulu Natal, South infection. Cumulative HIV transmission and cells per microliter. Other factors associated Africa. 1 Infants who receive such mixed feed- infant mortality were determined using sur- with an elevated risk of infection were having ing are more likely than those exclusively breast- vival analyses, and regression analyses were a mother aged 20–30 versus one younger than fed to acquire HIV infection (hazard ratio, 10.9). used to assess associations between infection 20 (1.9), having a birth weight of less than Among infants who are exclusively breast-fed, and mortality and various maternal and infant 2,500 g versus a weight of more than 3,500 g those whose mothers have CD4 cell counts of variables. (1.8) and being born after labor that lasted fewer than 200 cells or 200–500 cells per mi- The median maternal age of HIV-infected more than 12 hours versus less than four hours croliter have elevated risks of