is nursing my child fine as i am hcv pcr negative

i was preganant when i came to know about hcv.then i got tested for hcv pcr test and got my result negative.now i have given birth to my son and am confused that whether i should breast feed him or not .please kindl help me

[NYgirl]

I really don't understand - you were tested for HepC and don't have it?  You had the antibodies but when tested with a quantitative PCR have zero?

That would seem to mean you do not have hepc at all although you were exposed to it and your baby will not get it.

If for some reason you did have the virus in your blood then I wouldn't suggest breast feeding but since you dont......seems fine.

[cuteus]

even if you were hcv positive, there has not been any documented cases of hcv transmission by breastfeeding. Latch on right away before he gets used to the formula!
I breastfed for over 4 yrs and I must have been hcv positive at the time.
congratulations!

[NYgirl]

You are right you know...thank you for pointing that out. Now that I think about it I too breast fed while I was most likely HCV positive too.  I never thought about it. Both kids are fine.

I don't know if I WOULD now I'd probably be too freaked out even KNOWING rationally that they would be ok but you really made me open my eyes.

Thanks for posting that. It just goes to show how important this board really is. I had never even thought about it.

[cuteus]

is a good thing i did not know my HCV status then, I might have had PCRs done on the poor baby at every check up. there is a reason why we did not know then,  and our kids benefited.

you can't remember everything, you know?  
I hope the meds continue to be somewhat kind to your system and you get a huge promotion post tx to go with that svr!

[who_is_this]

HCV is documented as present in breast milk of HCV pos mothers.  It is generally not recommended to breastfeed if you are pos, but transmitability is theoretical, not proven.  So it is up to each woman to decide the risk v benefit to her child.

[fl-sam]

This is what the CDC website has to say:

Should a woman with hepatitis C be advised against breast-feeding?
No. There is no evidence that breast-feeding spreads HCV. HCV-positive mothers should consider abstaining from breast-feeding if their nipples are cracked or bleeding.

Sam

[avidreader]

I nursed while I had Hep C. My daughter is 19 now--a freshman at college. She's fine and I am finally treating. Go for it--the benefits FAR outweigth the risks for BOTH of you even if you do have HVC which it sounds like you don't.

[NYgirl]

Be careful............you're going to get the CanCanMan going again...words like mastitis are too uh too well you know they paint way too much of a picture for the poor guy to handle ;-)

[can-do-man]

Please tell me yout NOT in that study? Whats with you gals today? Our all the stars lined up or summin. Ina just gonna have to have a talk with you all

[fl-sam]

This may be the article you are referring to:

Risk Factors for Perinatal Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and the Natural History of HCV Infection Acquired in Infancy

It is in the Dec 1, 05 issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases and can be viewed online at their website.

[cuteus]

thanks again, It must be it!

what is it with some of these men, at the mention of breasts they become a drooling doodle!
You know what the primary purpose of mammary glands is, don't ya, can't do?
never mind, don't answer...

[cuteus]

thanks FL sam! there is a new study out there that supports breasfeeding and no risk of transmission. but i don't have time to find it. Even with cracked nipples the risk is low, as we are encouraged to feed even while experiencing mastitis. thanks again

[can-do-man]

Ok i won't, but i do know so ha ha  :)

[GoofyDad]

Allow me to pinch-hit.

Selling Beer?
Crash protection?
Filling in dead time in football games?
Catching crumbs?

Seriously though, that there is a biologic function as a sexual 'attention getter' can't be denied. Similar phenomena are seen throught the animal kingdom - why should we be different?

[can-do-man]

Geez goof, after seeing your answers i guess i didn't know. Heck i was thinking more on the line of a Hooters restaurant.

You serious? yeah and i have some swamp land thats prime real estate.