Quick Answer

Breastfeeding is safe with most STIs after appropriate treatment: syphilis treated during pregnancy, gonorrhea/chlamydia treated, and hepatitis B/C (with intact nipples) all allow breastfeeding. HIV is the main exception: U.S. guidelines recommend formula feeding when safe formula is available.

  • HIV: formula recommended when safe water and formula are accessible (U.S. guidelines).
  • Syphilis: allowed if treatment completed during pregnancy (no lesions on breast).
  • Hepatitis B/C: allowed; infant receives HBV vaccine + immunoglobulin at birth.
  • Herpes: skip breastfeeding from the affected breast if active lesions present.

Context Most Pages Skip

Breast milk itself rarely transmits STIs. The concerns are mostly about infectious lesions on breast tissue or cracked nipples allowing blood transfer.

Practical steps

Get treated during pregnancy. If diagnosed postpartum, complete treatment before breastfeeding. If herpes lesions appear on a breast, pump and discard from that side until healed; feed from the unaffected side.

āš•ļø This page is educational and does not replace advice from a licensed clinician. If you may have been exposed to an STI, get tested ā€” most infections are manageable, and many are fully curable.

Sources & Further Reading

Figures reflect CDC surveillance and WHO estimates; they are population statistics, not personal risk predictions.