HIV and Infant Feeding: A Compilation of Programmatic Evidence

The United Nations-led process of updating the 1998 international guidelines related to infant feeding and the prevention of maternal-to-child-transmission (pMTCT) of HIV called for a review of recent programmatic experience in addition to a review of the new scientific and medical evidence. This document represents an attempt to compile and synthesise reports on a wide variety of relevant programmes conducted since the 1998 guidelines were issued. The programmes presented here range in scale from small community research projects to national programmes.

The compilation addresses numerous controversial topics and constraints, including human resources (inadequately trained and insufficient counsellors); confused mothers; stigma and discrimination; spillover of replacement feeding; free or subsidised infant formula; family economics; and the difficulty in providing integrated HIV testing, informed-choice counselling, community support, logistics, and follow-up care for mothers and infants.