Author Question: Describe the factors that influence the rate of transmission of HIV from mother to child through ... (Read 58 times)

kfurse · **on:** Aug 20, 2018

Describe the factors that influence the rate of transmission of HIV from mother to child through breastfeeding.

Question 2

Your friend is considering feeding her preterm infant formula rather than breastfeeding because she is a working mom and believes it would be more convenient and supply sufficient nutrients. What would you tell her about the nutritional, health, and developmental benefits of breastfeeding preterm infants to persuade her to consider breastfeeding as better option?

scikid · **Reply #1 on:** Aug 20, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Factors that contribute to the rate of transmission of HIV through breastfeeding include strain of HIV, maternal illness, immune status and viral load, duration of breastfeeding (timing of transmission), primary infection of the mother during the breastfeeding period, exclusive breastfeeding versus mixed feeding, mastitis, maternal vitamin deficiencies (A, C, E, or B vitamins), and the availability of antiretroviral therapy.

Answer to Question 2

The nutritional benefits include ease of protein digestion, fat absorption, and improved lactose digestion. The known health and developmental benefits include better visual acuity, greater motor and mental development at 1.5 years of age, greater verbal intelligence quotient at 78 years of age, and a lower incidence of serious infectious disease, including necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis, even among infants who also receive some human milk substitutes. Nosocomial infection rates may also be decreased by as much as 50 percent in premature infants who receive at least 50 percent of their daily feedings from mother's milk.