Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 4, 2025
Isolation of Leukocytes from Human Breast Milk for Use in an Antibody-dependent Cellular Phagocytosis Assay of HIV Targets
Published on: September 6, 2019
[CORONA VIRUS, BREASTFEEDING AND GUIDELINES - A WORLDWIDE REVIEW]
Moran Friedman1,2, Noa Gur Arieh3, Ady Orbach4
1CLALIT Health Services, Haifa and Western Galilee District, Israel.
Insights
Breastfeeding is crucial for infant and maternal health, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. This review examines global guidelines on breastfeeding amidst the pandemic, emphasizing risk-benefit analysis and research needs.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic presents significant challenges to public health systems globally.
- Breastfeeding is recognized for its critical role in infant and maternal health, reducing morbidity like respiratory infections.
- Uncertainty during the pandemic may lead to guidelines that do not fully consider individual risk-benefit ratios.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and summarize international guidelines on breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To propose evidence-based recommendations for breastfeeding practices in the context of the pandemic.
- To highlight the need for further research on breastfeeding during coronavirus outbreaks.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of guidelines from leading international professional medical associations.
- Analysis of existing scientific evidence on breastfeeding and viral pandemics.
- Evaluation of risk-benefit ratios for breastfeeding mothers and infants during COVID-19.
Main Results:
- Guidelines from various professional bodies regarding breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic were compiled and analyzed.
- The importance of breastfeeding for infant and maternal health outcomes, including reduced morbidity, was reaffirmed.
- Potential risks and benefits of breastfeeding in the context of the pandemic were weighed.
Conclusions:
- Continued breastfeeding is recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic, supported by major health organizations.
- Guidelines should balance the benefits of breastfeeding with potential risks, informed by evolving evidence.
- Further research is essential to refine recommendations and address knowledge gaps concerning breastfeeding and COVID-19.
Introduction:
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced countries worldwide to face major issues and challenges. Among those challenges is breastfeeding from the first hours after birth until late infancy, in hospitals and communities. There is a consensus throughout the world and among leading international professional medical associations that breastfeeding is of significant importance for short- and long-term health outcomes in mothers and infants, as well as for its public health impact and reduction of national health expenditures. Moreover, breastfeeding or human milk feeding have been shown to reduce morbidity, specifically respiratory infections, among infants and children. This is not the first time health systems are dealing with coronavirus outbreaks, although currently, in the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still much that is unknown. Dealing with the unknown can lead to guidelines that may not fully take into consideration relevant risk benefit ratios for individuals and groups. In this review, we aim to summarize the guidelines of different leading professional groups around the world dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence-based medicine rests on relevant scientific evidence, patients' values and preferences and clinical judgment. We wish to propose guidelines based on available evidence concerning breastfeeding, the current pandemic and weighing in potential risks and benefits while highlighting the need for ongoing breastfeeding research.
More Related Videos
05:04A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
Published on: September 22, 2023
04:16Individualized Reconstitution of Human Milk Microbiota: A Feasible Approach in Real-World Settings
Published on: February 7, 2025
Related Concept Videos
01:28International Nursing Organizations II
The WHO provides expert team support, including funding, vaccines, testing, and treatment tools at the country level to fight...
01:07Teratogenicity
01:30Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed....
01:29Drug Dosing: Infants and Children
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
01:51Vaccinations