Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

June 2, 2020

Safety of Breastfeeding in Mothers with SARS-CoV-2 Infection

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  • [pre-print, not peer reviewed] A small study (n=23) of postpartum women with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 did not find SARS-CoV-2 in any breast milk samples. Presence of IgM in breast milk correlated with detection in maternal blood. IgG for SARS-CoV-2 was not found in any breast milk samples. Of the 8 infants that were tested one month after birth, all results were negative for SARS-CoV-2. These findings suggest that breast milk may not be a common vector for SARS-CoV-2. 

Luo et al. (June 1, 2020). Safety of Breastfeeding in Mothers with SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Preprint downloaded June 2 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.05.30.20033407