Can someone with HIV breastfeed their child? You might be surprised at the answer! 

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This episode was written by Dr. Tammy Yau and Dr. Lidia Park, with content support from Dr. Laura Kair. Drs. Tammy and Lidia take full responsibility for any errors or misinformation. 

Key points: 

• New guidelines from the CDC recommend allowing mothers with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) with an undetectable viral load to breastfeed their child if they desire, whether or not they live in a developed or underdeveloped country. The risk for HIV transmission through breastmilk in these cases is 0.6% 
• In the US, you can call the national perinatal HIV/AIDS hotline at 1-888-448-8765 for advice 
• 

Sources 

• CDC 2023 Infant Feeding for Individuals with HIV in the US: https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/maternal-or-infant-illnesses/hiv.html