Early Breastfeeding Cessation Among HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Women in Western Cape Province, South Africa.
Moleen Zunza, Monika Esser, Amy Slogrove, Julie A Bettinger, Rhoderick Machekano, Mark F Cotton, Mother-Infant Health Study (MIHS) Project Steering Committee
Author Information
Moleen Zunza: Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa. moleenz@sun.ac.za. ORCID
Monika Esser: Department of Pathology, Immunology Unit, National Health Laboratory Service, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
Amy Slogrove: Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.
Julie A Bettinger: Vaccine Evaluation Center, BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Rhoderick Machekano: Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Washington, DC, USA.
Mark F Cotton: Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.
As part of the Mother-Infant Health Study, we describe infant feeding practices among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected mothers over a 12-month period when the Western Cape Province prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) program was transitioning from a policy of exclusive formula feeding to one of exclusive breastfeeding. Two hundred pairs of mother and HIV-uninfected infant were included in the analysis, among whom 81 women were HIV uninfected and breastfeeding. Of the 119 HIV-infected mothers, 50 (42%) were breastfeeding and 69 (58%) were formula feeding. HIV-infected mothers predominantly breastfed for 8.14 (7.71-15.86) weeks; HIV-uninfected mothers predominantly breastfed for 8.29 (8.0-16.0) weeks; and HIV-infected mothers predominantly formula fed for 50.29 (36.43-51.43) weeks. A woman's HIV status had no influence on the time to stopping predominant breastfeeding (P = 0.20). Our findings suggest suboptimal duration of breastfeeding among both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected mothers. Providing support for all mothers postdelivery, regardless of their HIV status, may improve breastfeeding practices.
