Bibliographic Info
GuidelineWHO recommendations on maternal health: guidelines approved by the WHO Guidelines Review Committee, second edition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025
Year of Publication2023
Issuing InstitutionWorld Health Organization
Recommendation
Status
Maintained
Recommended in favor
Strong
Certainty of evidence
Very low
A woman who has recovered from Ebola virus disease, cleared viremia, and wants to continue breastfeeding should wait until she has had two consecutive negative RT-PCR breastmilk tests for Ebola virus by, separated by 24 hours. During this time, the child should be given a breastmilk substitute
Notes and Remarks
- 1.The recommendation to discontinue breastfeeding in the event that both the breastfeeding woman and the breastfed child have acute EVD is based off a hypothetical risk of viral ‘boosting’ between two infected individuals. This viral boosting could theoretically increase disease severity through additional viremic exposure. Evidence to directly support this recommendation is lacking
- 2.Infants younger than 6 months of age should be provided with a breastmilk substitute (eg, ready-to-use infant formula) that is acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable, and safe. Infants and young children between 6 months and 23 months of age should be provided with a ready-to use infant formula or ultra-high temperature full-cream (or whole) cow’s milk along with complementary feeding (this food can be supplemented with micronutrient powders if the nutrient content is expected to be inadequate).
- 3.Rapid testing of breast milk of women with recovered EVD, who would like to continue to breastfeed, should be prioritized.
- 4.Women’s choices related to stopping breastfeeding, or continuing after EVD recovery and testing of breast-milk, should be respected and supported by health care workers to facilitate the choice
Also Featured In
This recommendation also appears in the following guidelines:
Originally Developed
Guideline
Guidelines for the management of pregnant and breastfeeding women in the context of Ebola virus disease
Year2020
InstitutionWHO