Risks and Benefits of Breastfeeding in COVID-19: Integrative Literature Review.

Ana Clara Alves De Carvalho,Raquel Ferreira Borges,Gabriel Campos Carvalhaes Reis,João Guilherme De Moura Oliveira

doi:10.1055/s-0041-1741031

Abstract

The present article seeks to consolidate existing knowledge on breastfeeding during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Articles from 2020 and 2021 collected from the PubMed, CAPES, Virtual Health Library, Google Scholar, SciELO, and UpToDate databases were analyzed. Books and government documents published in the last decade (2010-2020) were also consulted. Sixteen works were used in the present study. The date of publication and discussion of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through breast milk were the inclusion criteria. Thus, articles containing repeated information or with no relevance to add to the production were excluded. Data collection comprised critical reading and synthesis of the main information obtained on the subject, which were performed for the preparation of the present study. The research took place in the period from March 27 to April 2, 2021. Breast milk has diverse benefits for both the nursing mother and the infant. The presence of viral RNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in milk from disease-positive mothers has been detected in a few cases, and infant infections in these conditions suggest oral transmission of maternal or third-party origin. The virulence of the novel coronavirus in human milk is not confirmed, while significant amounts of exclusive antibodies are. Lactation in the context of COVID-19 has shown greater benefits than risks of vertical transmission. Therefore, it should be encouraged when possible.

Highlights

In the epilogue of December 2019 and in the advent of the year 2020, the world witnessed the rise of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by a new variant of coronavirus – severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – which was declared in January 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an epidemiological pandemic situation
These analyses have shown that, despite obtaining negative results in PCR test specific for SARS-CoV-2, there is presence of these immunoglobulins in breast milk.[13]
It was observed that the benefits provided by lactation, both for the mother and the infant, outweigh the risks associated with this practice in COVID-19-positive women

Summary

Introduction

In the epilogue of December 2019 and in the advent of the year 2020, the world witnessed the rise of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by a new variant of coronavirus – severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – which was declared in January 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an epidemiological pandemic situation. This etiologic agent was responsible for naming a new disease classification known as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is considered a public health emergency of international concern (EPII). It is known that the expressivity of these same aspects can be mild and even asymptomatic, many cases can evolve to severe acute respiratory syndrome, septic shock, and multiple organ failure.[1,2] In this perspective, the clinical evolution of the disease can be associated to the degree of inflammatory response in the organism of the infected individual, since the higher the degree, the greater the tissue damage and, the functional compromise of the affected regions.[3]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion