People living with HIV should receive evidence-based, patient-centered counseling to support shared decision-making about infant feeding. Counseling about infant feeding should begin as early as possible in pregnancy, and plans for infant feeding should be reviewed throughout pregnancy and again after delivery.
Any person living with HIV that expresses interest in breast/chestfeeding should receive non-judgmental counseling as outlined in the federally approved Perinatal Guidelines. Achieving and maintaining viral suppression through antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy and postpartum decreases breast/chestfeeding transmission risk to less than 1%, but not zero. Formula feeding is the only way to eliminate breastmilk transmission of HIV.
For more information about HIV and infant feeding: