For a woman using LAM, ALL of the following three criteria must be met to ensure adequate protection from an unplanned pregnancy:
- amenorrhoea
- fully or nearly fully breastfeeding
- less than six months postpartum
Temporary contraception for new mothers whose monthly bleeding has not returned; requires exclusive or full breastfeeding day and night of an infant less than 6 months old
Prevents the release of eggs from the ovaries (ovulation)
99% with correct and consistent use
98% as commonly used
A temporary family planning method based on the natural effect of breastfeeding on fertility
No breastfeeding status was selected using the "Women’s characteristics" filters.
Non-breastfeeding | Category | Clarifications/Special considerations |
---|---|---|
Non-breastfeeding | Not eligible for method |
No medical conditions were selected using the "Women’s characteristics" filters.
HIV WHO Stage 3 or 4 | Category | Clarifications/Special considerations |
---|---|---|
Severe or advanced HIV clinical disease (WHO stage 3 or 4) | There are no medical conditions in which the use of the LAM is restricted and there is no documented evidence of its negative impact on maternal health. | Women with conditions that make pregnancy an unacceptable risk should be advised that the LAM may not be appropriate for them because of its relatively higher typical-use failure rates. Read More |
Women with conditions that make pregnancy an unacceptable risk should be advised that the LAM may not be appropriate for them because of its relatively higher typical-use failure rates.
A woman living with HIV can transmit the virus to her child through breastfeeding. Yet breastfeeding, and especially early and exclusive breastfeeding, is one of the most critical factors for improving child survival.
Breastfeeding also confers many other benefits in addition to reducing the risk of death.
Giving antiretroviral medications (ARVs) to either the HIV-positive mother or the HIV-exposed infant or both can significantly reduce the risk of transmitting HIV through breastfeeding.
In the presence of ARVs - either lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) to the mother or other ARV interventions to the mother or infant - the infant can receive all the benefits of breastfeeding with little risk of acquiring HIV.
In some well-resourced countries with low infant and child mortality rates, avoidance of all breastfeeding will still be appropriate.
Mothers living with HIV should receive the appropriate ARV interventions and should exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months of life, introducing appropriate complementary foods thereafter, and should continue breastfeeding their infants for the first 12 months of life.
If the infant is HIV-negative or of unknown HIV status: A mother known to be living with HIV should only give commercial infant formula milk as a replacement feed to this infant when all of the following specific conditions are met: 1. safe water and sanitation are assured at the household level and in the community, and 2. the mother or other caregiver can reliably provide sufficient infant formula milk to support normal growth and development of the infant, and 3. the mother or caregiver can prepare it cleanly and frequently enough so that it is safe and carries a low risk of diarrhoea and malnutrition, and 4. the mother or caregiver can, in the first six months, exclusively give infant formula milk, and 5. the family is supportive of this practice, and 6. the mother or caregiver can access health care that offers comprehensive child health services.
If the infant is known to be HIV-positive:
The mother is strongly encouraged to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of the infant’s life and to continue breastfeeding as per the recommendations for the general population, that is up to two years or beyond.
No drug interactions were selected using the "Women’s characteristics" filters.
Anticonvulsants | Category | Clarifications/Special considerations |
---|---|---|
a) Certain anticonvulsants,(phenytoin, carbamazepine, barbiturates, primidone, topiramate, oxcarbazepine) | No assigned category | In order to protect infant health, breastfeeding is not recommended for women using such drugs as: anti-metabolites, bromocriptine, certain anticoagulants, corticosteroids (high doses), ciclosporin, ergotamine, lithium, mood-altering drugs, radioactive drugs and reserpine. For information about the use of specific medications while breast feeding, please see: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/62435/1/55732.pdf |
b) Lamotrigine |
Antimicrobial Therapy | Category | Clarifications/Special considerations | |
---|---|---|---|
a) Broad-spectrum antibiotics | No assigned category | In order to protect infant health, breastfeeding is not recommended for women using such drugs as: anti-metabolites, bromocriptine, certain anticoagulants, corticosteroids (high doses), ciclosporin, ergotamine, lithium, mood-altering drugs, radioactive drugs and reserpine.
For information about the use of specific medications while breast feeding, please see: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/62435/1/55732.pdf |
|
b) Antifungals | |||
c) Antiparasitics | |||
Rifampin/rifabutin | No assigned category | In order to protect infant health, breastfeeding is not recommended for women using such drugs as: anti-metabolites, bromocriptine, certain anticoagulants, corticosteroids (high doses), ciclosporin, ergotamine, lithium, mood-altering drugs, radioactive drugs and reserpine.
For information about the use of specific medications while breast feeding, please see |
Antiretroviral Therapy | Category | Clarifications/Special considerations |
---|---|---|
a) Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) | No assigned category | Giving antiretroviral medications (ARVs) to either the HIV-positive mother or the HIV-exposed infant or both can significantly reduce the risk of transmitting HIV through breastfeeding. Read More |
Abacavir (ABC) | ||
Tenofovir (TDF) | ||
Zidovudine (AZT) | ||
Lamivudine (3TC) | ||
Didanosine (DDI) | ||
Emtricitabine (FTC) | ||
Stavudine (D4T) | ||
b) Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) | ||
Efavirenz (EFV) | ||
Etravirine (ETR) | ||
Nevirapine (NVP) | ||
Rilpivirine (RPV) | ||
c) Protease inhibitors (PIs) |
||
Ritonavir-boosted atazanavir (ATV/r) | ||
Ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (LPV/r) | ||
Ritonavir-boosted darunavir (DRV/r) | ||
Ritonavir (RTV) | ||
d) Integrase inhibitors | ||
Raltegravir (RAL) |
No other conditions were selected using the "Women’s characteristics" filters.
Adolescents | Category | Clarifications/Special considerations |
---|---|---|
Adolescents | There are no medical conditions in which the use of the LAM is restricted and there is no documented evidence of its negative impact on maternal health. | Special consideration: Adolescents, In general, adolescents are eligible to use any method of contraception and must have access to a variety of contraceptive choices. Read More |