title: Mother-to-infant hepatitis C virus transmission and breastfeeding.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne virus that is transmitted most efficiently by irect percutaneous exposures to blood. Infants are at risk of HCV infection primarily as a result of transmission from their infected mothers. However, there is no evidence of mother-to-infant transmission from breastfeeding. According to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, maternal HCV infection is not a contraindication to breastfeeding. It may be prudent for mothers who are HCV-infected and who choose to breastfeed to consider abstaining from breastfeeding if their nipples are cracked and bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mailstop G37, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. emast@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Eric E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Mast
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000821:virology*; D009558:Nipples / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors