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Can pregnant or postpartum women living with HIV transmit the Covid-19 virus to their unborn child or infant?

There are few data on the clinical presentation of Covid-19 in specific populations, such as children and pregnant women but findings from a small published study suggest that there is currently no evidence for intrauterine infection caused by vertical transmission in women who develop Covid-19 pneumonia in late pregnancy.

Although no vertical transmission has been documented, transmission after birth via contact with infectious respiratory secretions is a concern.

Infants born to mothers with suspected, probable, or confirmed Covid-19 should be fed according to standard infant feeding guidelines, while applying necessary precautions for infection prevention and control (IPC).

As with all confirmed or suspected Covid-19 cases, symptomatic mothers who are breastfeeding or practicing skin-to-skin contact or kangaroo mother care should practice respiratory hygiene, including during feeding (for example, use of a medical mask when near a child if the mother has respiratory symptoms), perform hand hygiene before and after contact with the child, and routinely clean and disinfect surfaces with which the symptomatic mother has been in contact.

Can Covid-19 be passed from a woman to her unborn or newborn baby?

We still do not know if a pregnant woman with Covid-19 can pass the virus to her foetus or baby during pregnancy or delivery. To date, the virus has not been found in samples of amniotic fluid or breastmilk.

Can women with Covid-19 breastfeed?

Yes. Women with Covid-19 can breastfeed if they wish to do so. They should:

• Practice respiratory hygiene during feeding, wearing a mask where available;
• Wash hands before and after touching the baby;
• Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces they have touched.