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Health professionals agree that human milk provides the most complete form of nutrition for infants, including premature and sick newborns. But, there are rare exceptions when human milk is not recommended. Under certain circumstances, a doctor will need to decide on a case-by-case basis whether a woman's environmental exposure or her own medical condition warrants her to interrupt or stop breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding is not advisable if one or more of the following conditions affect the mother or baby:
* An infant diagnosed with galactosemia (guh-lak-toh-SEE-mee-uh), a rare genetic metabolic disorder in which the body cannot digest the sugar galactose.
* The infant whose mother:
o Has been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or has acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). If you have HIV and want to give your baby breast milk, you can contact a human milk bank.
o Is taking antiretroviral medications.
o Has untreated, active tuberculosis.
o Is infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I or type II.
o Is using or is dependent upon an illicit drug. Some drugs, such as cocaine and PCP, can affect your baby and cause serious side effects. Other drugs, such as heroin and marijuana can cause irritability, poor sleeping patterns, tremors, and vomiting. Babies can become addicted to these drugs.
o Is taking prescribed cancer chemotherapy agents, such as antimetabolites that interfere with DNA replication and cell division.
o Is undergoing radiation therapies; however, such nuclear medicine therapies require only a temporary interruption in breastfeeding.
Source: Office on Women's Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Health professionals agree that human milk provides the most complete form of nutrition for infants, including premature and sick newborns. But, there are rare exceptions when human milk is not recommended. Under certain circumstances, a doctor will need to decide on a case-by-case basis whether a woman's environmental exposure or her own medical condition warrants her to interrupt or stop breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding is not advisable if one or more of the following conditions affect the mother or baby:
* An infant diagnosed with galactosemia (guh-lak-toh-SEE-mee-uh), a rare genetic metabolic disorder in which the body cannot digest the sugar galactose.
* The infant whose mother:
o Has been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or has acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). If you have HIV and want to give your baby breast milk, you can contact a human milk bank.
o Is taking antiretroviral medications.
o Has untreated, active tuberculosis.
o Is infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I or type II.
o Is using or is dependent upon an illicit drug. Some drugs, such as cocaine and PCP, can affect your baby and cause serious side effects. Other drugs, such as heroin and marijuana can cause irritability, poor sleeping patterns, tremors, and vomiting. Babies can become addicted to these drugs.
o Is taking prescribed cancer chemotherapy agents, such as antimetabolites that interfere with DNA replication and cell division.
o Is undergoing radiation therapies; however, such nuclear medicine therapies require only a temporary interruption in breastfeeding.
Source: Office on Women's Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Date Added: 2009-04-11 Views : 412