Breastfeeding And HIV/Aids: The Research, the Politics, the Women's Responses

The spread of the AIDS virus has introduced a new element into the formula-versus-breastfeeding controversy. Mothers, particularly those in developing nations, have been urged to breastfeed in order to better nourish their infants and protect them from disease or contaminants in the water used to prepare formula. Now, however, mothers and healthcare workers must consider the danger of transmitting AIDS via breastfeeding. When HIV-infected women nurse their children, they more than double the risk of transmitting the virus. The issue is further complicated in countries where the alternatives are not very promising and in cultures that stigmatize women for even undergoing AIDS testing. This informative analysis includes the development of research into HIV and breastfeeding, the medical and political questions surrounding the controversy, and options and solutions for women to consider in feeding their infants. Fully indexed, this book is an important contribution to the social and medical studies of one of the most tragic facets of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.