Early cessation of breastfeeding by HIV+ women in poor countries and child survival

A new study by researchers from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health addresses one of the most challenging issues in infant health and preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission in poor countries. In these settings, HIV-infected mothers had been advised that for the best outcome for their infants, they should exclusively breast-feed, followed by a rapid weaning four to six months after birth. But according to the study conducted in Lusaka, Zambia by Mailman School researchers, which was published in the July 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, abrupt cessation of breast-feeding by HIV+ mothers after the first four months of life did not result in any statistically significant benefit to infants in terms of HIV-free survival at 24 months, compared to those infants who were weaned at an average of... [read full story]