Malaria

Is malaria passed to an infant through a mother's breast milk?

No. However, a nursing mother who plans to travel to a geographic region where malaria is prevalent is advised to take every precaution to reduce her risk of infection by following standard preventive approaches. In addition, a nursing mother should thoroughly wash insect repellents from her hands and breast skin before holding and breastfeeding her infant or child.

Do antimalarial medications interfere with breastfeeding?

Nursing mothers traveling to malaria-prevalent regions should adhere to the standard recommended dosage of antimalarial medications appropriate for the country they are visiting. For a list of specific antimalarial drugs, see CDC's Yellow Book Chapter 4: Malaria, Table 4–9.

The breastfeeding child needs his or her own antimalarial drug.

Top of Page