COVID-19 & Infant Feeding Study

We have completed study enrollment.

Publications from the study will be posted as they become available.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, little was known about the potential transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) from mothers to infants, from infants to mothers, and within families that contain women and their infants. We conducted a national study to examine infection risk and immunity in mothers and infants. We enrolled mothers and their infants from around the country to better understand the benefits and/or risks of breastfeeding while COVID-19+. The first paper from this study was published in 2020 and indicated that there is little to no risk, when taking proper precautions, of continuing to breastfeed while COVID-19+. We found no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the milk of mothers within the first week of a COVID-19+ diagnosis. Additionally, we found that the milk produced by women with COVID-19 contained antibodies that neutralized the virus. Several additional papers from this project are forthcoming. Please check back for updates and visit the publication page and news page on this site for updates.

Funding for this research has been provided by a generous grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Science Foundation, Washington State University’s Health Equity Research Center, and an in-kind donation of breast pumps by Medela.