Can I continue to breastfeed if I have COVID?

A recent report by the Argentine Society of Pediatrics supports breastfeeding in women with coronavirus who wish to do so. He also recommends continuing to breastfeed if the mother received the vaccine.

Breastfeeding can be a period of doubt for many women, especially when they contract a disease or need to take any medication, due to the possible effects that they can cause on the baby through milk. And these doubts tend to be even more frequent in times of pandemic.

To bring you peace of mind, a recent document prepared by the Argentine Society of Pediatrics (SAP) supports breastfeeding both in COVID-positive women and in mothers without infection but who have received or are about to receive the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus vaccine.

These conclusions arise from an exhaustive systematic review of 50 studies, and from which it was determined that the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 genome in breast milk is rare (5% of cases) and that the newborn has asymptomatic infection or with mild symptoms that do not counteract the battery of benefits provided by breastfeeding. 

Blessed milk

The SAP report shows that 8 out of 10 women with COVID (that is, 83%) have a high presence of antibodies against the coronavirus in breast milk.

Another study that was part of the data analyzed for the preparation of the document was a survey on the management of newborns of COVID-positive mothers carried out in 91 institutions in Argentina, among whose conclusions a great agreement was evidenced in the indications in favor of breastfeeding. The work, which consisted of a survey of health professionals, showed that 7 out of 10 (70%) recommended breastfeeding with protective measures, 23%, the administration of the mother's milk through a bottle and only 7% turned to formula milk. In 90% of the institutions, doctors and nurses reported involving the mother in making the decision about feeding her child.

“Despite all the doubts that the pandemic presents us and the scarce scientific information based on evidence that we have, the general medical consensus to continue recommending breastfeeding is overwhelming, decisions that were preceded by the analysis of the available data and knowledge the benefits of human milk, highlighting also that it has been agreed with the patients and respected their own decisions, "said Dr. Roxana Conti (MN 103,443) pediatrician and neonatologist, a member of the National Lactation Committee of the SAP.

Mothers vaccinated

Regarding breastfeeding in healthy women exposed to vaccination against COVID-19, the work of the SAP establishes that it is recommended to promote the initiation or continuation of breastfeeding.

Although there is not much information available because all the research studies carried out so far have excluded the population of children, pregnant and postpartum nursing mothers, Dr. Lucrecia Bossi (MN 106.410), pediatrician and neonatologist, Secretary of CEFEN, clarifies that “as the vaccines under study are vaccines that do not contain replicative viruses, it is unlikely that they pose a risk to the child who is breastfeeding. It is considered that the unknown virtual risks must be weighed against the potential benefit of neonatal protection against infection, through the passive transfer of antibodies from breast milk. The WHO itself recommends not stopping breastfeeding after vaccination ”.

For Dr. Elizabeth Bogdanowicz (MN 66.915), pediatric infectologist of the SAP Committee of Infectology, “the decision to vaccinate against SARS-CoV-2 to breastfeeding women must take into account the type of work activity of that woman; whether or not you have other associated diseases (chronic respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and oncological conditions, among others); the characteristics of the vaccines; the availability of the same and the approval of the patient: it is always important to agree with the mothers and leave it settled ”.

The work of the SAP coincides with what is established by the Ministry of Health of the Nation in relation to the possibility of inoculating with the Sputnik V vaccine to lactating women when they present a high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV infection 2 and that it cannot be avoided, or that they have underlying diseases that include them within the groups at high risk of serious complications and / or death from COVID-19. However, "this recommendation also applies to the other vaccines with which agreements are being established for their availability in Argentina," added Dr. Bogdanowicz.

Without relaxing

“It is important to remember that although vaccination is a very important instance in the control of the pandemic, it is still essential to apply all other measures to mitigate the transmission of the virus, such as social distancing, the use of masks and widespread testing recognition and isolation of close contacts, ”concluded Dr. Bogdanowicz.