title: The prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission programme and infant feeding practices.
abstract: Since the first cases of HIV transmission through breast-feeding were documented, a fierce debate has raged on appropriate guidelines for infant feeding in resource-poor settings. A major problem is determining when it is safe and feasible to formula-feed, as breast-milk protects against other diseases. A cross-sectional survey of 113 women attending the programme for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, was conducted. Over 95% of women on the programme formula-fed their infants and did not breast-feed at all. Seventy per cent of women said that their infant had never had diarrhoea, and only 3% of children had had two episodes of diarrhoea. Focus groups identified the main reasons for not breast-feeding given by women to their families and those around them. Formula feeding is safe and feasible in an urban environment where sufficient potable water is available.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hilderbrand
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goemaere
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coetzee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology; D030881:Disclosure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires