If a mother has active tuberculosis that is untreated, what is recommended regarding nursing?

If a mother has active tuberculosis that is untreated, what is recommended regarding nursing?

• A. That she can express breast milk and feed that to her infant.
• B. Breast milk is contraindicated if the mother has tuberculosis.
• C. She may continue to nurse her baby since the risk of transmission is low.
• D. To give formula until results of tuberculosis testing are known.

Answer: (A)

TB is transmitted mainly through airborne droplets, not through breast milk. When a mother has active untreated TB, the priority is to prevent the infant from being exposed to infectious droplets during close contact. Allowing expressed breast milk to be fed to the baby achieves continued nutrition and milk supply without letting the infant share respiratory space with an infectious caregiver. The mother should start appropriate anti-TB therapy and follow infection-control precautions (such as coughing into a tissue or mask and minimizing close contact when possible). The infant may require close clinical follow-up and, in many settings, isoniazid prophylaxis until the mother is no longer infectious. This approach preserves breastfeeding benefits while protecting the infant from transmission.

TB is transmitted mainly through airborne droplets, not through breast milk. When a mother has active untreated TB, the priority is to prevent the infant from being exposed to infectious droplets during close contact. Allowing expressed breast milk to be fed to the baby achieves continued nutrition and milk supply without letting the infant share respiratory space with an infectious caregiver. The mother should start appropriate anti-TB therapy and follow infection-control precautions (such as coughing into a tissue or mask and minimizing close contact when possible). The infant may require close clinical follow-up and, in many settings, isoniazid prophylaxis until the mother is no longer infectious. This approach preserves breastfeeding benefits while protecting the infant from transmission.