Objectives: To determine knowledge, attitudes and practices of HIV positive mothers on infant feeding options.
Design: Descriptive cross-sectional survey.
Setting: A rural district hospital in Zimbabwe.
Subjects: A convenience sample of fifty HIV positive mothers attending Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Programme with children under two years of age, were recruited for the study.
Main outcome measures: Selected indicators of knowledge, attitudes and practices were analysed using descriptive statistics.
Results: The study revealed that the majority, 44 (88%), were able to define exclusive breastfeeding, though 36 (74%) practiced exclusive breastfeeding. On the dangers of mixed feeding, 36 (74%) were knowledgeable. Of those practicing exclusive breastfeeding, 25 (50%) were afraid of transmitting HIV virus to their babies, but were constrained by socio-economic and cultural factors. Forty five (90%) of the subjects suggested that husbands or partners should join counseling sessions on infant feeding options.
Conclusion: Couple quality counseling is needed to assist in coping with challenges involved in infant feeding options. Breastfeeding support groups are needed after discharge. The size of the sample was small. However the, findings are important to clinical practice.