Moms should continue breastfeeding even if they have confirmed or suspected Covid-19 and should not depend on infant formula milk as the nutrition to baby, a new report by WHO, UNICEF, and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) has said.

However, the report noted that despite efforts to stop the harmful promotion of breast-milk substitutes, many countries are still falling short in protecting parents from misleading information.

In the report, "Marketing of breast-milk substitutes: National implementation of the International Code – Status report 2020", the UN bodies said that current evidence indicates that it is unlikely that Covid-19 would be transmitted through breastfeeding or by giving breastmilk that has been expressed by a mother who is confirmed or suspected to have the infection. Women with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 can therefore breastfeed after following some precautions like putting on masks.   

Of the 194 countries analysed in the report, 136 have in place some form of legal measure related to the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent resolutions adopted by the World Health Assembly.

However, the legal restrictions in most countries do not fully cover marketing that occurs in health facilities while only 79 countries prohibit the promotion of breast-milk substitutes in health facilities.

Only 19 countries have prohibited the sponsorship of scientific and health professional association meetings by manufacturers of breast-milk substitutes, which include infant formula, follow-up formula, and growing up milks marketed for use by infants and children up to 36-months old, as per the report.

“The aggressive marketing of breast-milk substitutes, especially through health professionals that parents trust for nutrition and health advice, is a major barrier to improving newborn and child health worldwide,” said Dr Francesco Branca, Director of WHO’s Department of Nutrition and Food Safety.

Babies who are exclusively breastfed are 14 times less likely to die than babies who are not breastfed. However, today, only 41% of infants 0–6 months old are exclusively breastfed.

“As the Covid-19 pandemic progresses, health workers are being diverted to the response and health systems are overstretched. At such time, breastfeeding can protect the lives of millions of children, but new mothers cannot do it without the support of health providers,” said Dr. Victor Aguayo, UNICEF’s Chief of Nutrition.

“The fear of Covid-19 transmission is eclipsing the importance of breastfeeding – and in too many countries mothers and babies are being separated at birth – making breastfeeding and skin to skin contact difficult if not impossible. All on the basis of no evidence.

“Meanwhile the baby food industry is exploiting fears of infection, promoting and distributing free formula and misleading advice –  claiming that the donations are humanitarian and that they are trustworthy partners,” said Patti Rundall, of IBFAN’s Global Council.

“Breastfeeding is the best way to protect the baby, particularly from hospitalisation due to severe gastroenteritis or lower respiratory tract infection,” said Dr Arun Gupta from Breastfeeding Promotion network of India (BPNI).