Clean water a must for infant formula

Up to 16 percent of children born to HIV-infected mothers acquire HIV/AIDS through breast milk in Africa. However, a recent study has shown that the use of infant formula as a substitute has been associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality in developing countries.

Researchers conducted a study in a community in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to evaluate the quality of water available to prepare infant formula, as well as to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding water and infant formula. One hundred and twenty selected households, represented by women who attended the HIV clinic at the Koumassi mother-child clinics, were surveyed between April and June 1999.

Virtually all caretakers believed breast-feeding was best for infants because of nutrition, tradition and cost. According to the study, 52 percent of the caretakers expressed concerns about infant formula. These concerns included risk of diarrhoea, need for meticulous preparation and decreased nutritional value. Only 10 percent were formula-feeding their infants at the time of the study.

Coliform bacteria was detected in 74 percent of samples of stored water. In two samples of stored water, both coliform bacteria and E-coli were too numerous to count. The researchers recommend that maternal health settings in developing counties, especially those implementing formula-feeding programmes to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, need to evaluate the water used and to make provisions for safe water for their clients.

[This item is delivered to the "PlusNews" HIV/AIDS Service of the UN's IRIN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]