Most common illnesses, such as colds, flu, skin infections, or diarrhea, cannot be passed through breast milk. In fact, if a mother has an illness, her breast milk will contain antibodies to it that will help protect her baby from those same illnesses. (Source: excerpt from Breastfeeding: NWHIC)
Contagion and contagiousness refers to how easily
the spread of Breast Feeding is possible from one person to another.
Other words for contagion include "infection", "infectiousness",
"transmission" or "transmissability".
Contagiousness has nothing to do with genetics
or inheriting diseases from parents.
For an overview of contagion,
see Introduction to Contagion.
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
» Next page: Treatments for Breast Feeding
Medical Tools & Articles:
Forums & Message Boards
Search Specialists by State and City
By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use. Information provided on this site is for informational purposes only; it is not intended as a substitute for advice from your own medical team. The information on this site is not to be used for diagnosing or treating any health concerns you may have - please contact your physician or health care professional for all your medical needs. Please see our Terms of Use.
Copyright © 2011 Health Grades Inc. All rights reserved. Last Update: 7 May, 2013 (4:51)
