What The World Health Organization Has To Say About COVID-19 Transmission Through Breastfeeding

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a statement on the possibility of transmission of the dreaded COVID-19 from mother to child through breastfeeding. The body in its statement said there is no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted via breast milk, even when a nursing mother has contracted the virus. In the statement released on its website, WHO said nursing mothers are urged to continue breastfeeding their babies in spite of the pandemic.

It stressed that while researchers are testing breast milk from mothers with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19, it is safer to breastfeed than to give infants formula milk.

“WHO and UNICEF encourage women to continue to breastfeed during the COVID-19 pandemic, even if they have confirmed or suspected COVID-19,”

the statement said.

While researchers continue to test breast milk from mothers with confirmed or suspected COVID-19,

current evidence indicates that it is unlikely that COVID-19 would be transmitted through breastfeeding

or by giving breast milk that has been expressed by a mother who is confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19.

The statement adds:

Active COVID-19 virus has not, to date, been detected in the breastmilk of any mother with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.

It appears unlikely, therefore, that COVID-19 would be transmitted through breastfeeding or by giving breastmilk that has been expressed by a mother who is confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19.

Women with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 can therefore breastfeed if they wish to do so.

The body restated thatWhat The World Health Organization Has To Say About COVID-19 Transmission Through Breastfeeding

the numerous benefits of breastfeeding substantially outweigh the potential risks of illness associated with the virus.