Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

According to a recent study, coronavirus cannot get transmitted through breast milk. The study has been published in the online edition of JAMA and conducted by researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and University of California Los Angeles.

In the study, researchers used about 64 breast milk samples taken by the Mommy’s Milk Human Milk Research Biorepository from 18 women participants suffering from the coronavirus. After analysing these samples, researchers found that in all the samples except one, viral RNA was not detected. While it was found that the virus was unable to replicate itself in any of the samples. The study finding suggests that coronavirus can not get spread through breastfeeding.

Christina Chambers, co-principal investigator of the study said, “Detection of viral RNA does not equate to infection. It has to grow and multiply in order to be infectious and we did not find that in any of our samples. Our findings suggest breast milk itself is not likely a source of infection for the infant.”

Grace Aldrovandi, co-principal investigator of the study commented, “In the absence of data, some women infected with SARS-CoV-2 have chosen to just not breastfeed at all. We hope our results and future studies will give women the reassurance needed for them to breastfeed. Human milk provides invaluable benefits to mom and baby”.

Previously, WHO has also urged women suffering from coronavirus to continue breastfeeding their infants as there is no risk of virus transmission through breast milk.

Early breastfeeding is important for infants as it reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. It also reduces the risk of obesity in children while it improves their immune health and intelligence tests performance.

Breastfeeding also lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in mothers.

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