title: Maternal HIV status and infant feeding practices among Ugandan women.
abstract: To describe the infant feeding practices in the general population in Uganda, and to assess the impact of maternal HIV status on these practices, a questionnaire was administered to women attending the follow-up clinics for child vaccination. Among the mothers who were still breastfeeding at the time of interview (N=838), 61.4% of the HIV-infected women had planned to breastfeed for a maximum of 6 months, compared with 12.1% of the HIV-uninfected women (p<0.001). Among the women who were not breastfeeding at the time of interview (N=108), 82.5% of the HIV-infected women had stopped breastfeeding within 3 months, compared with 23.5% of the HIV-uninfected women (p<0.001). Only 2.1% of HIV-infected women seen up to 14 weeks postnatally practised mixed feeding, compared with 23.6% of HIV-uninfected women (p<0.001). After 6 months, however, 30% of the HIV-infected women and 55% of the HIV-uninfected mothers were using mixed feeding, with no significant differences. Programmes for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV should re-enforce counseling activities to address the issue of early weaning by HIV-infected women, and to support safe breastfeeding up to 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at St Francis Hospital Nsambya, Kampala.
authors.forename: Pius
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Okong
authors.forename: Praxedes Kituuka
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Namaganda
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bassani
authors.forename: Mary Mbidde
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tabaro
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zanetto
authors.forename: Edith Birungi
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Mwebaze
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Weimer
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tomasoni
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Castelli
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giuliano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents