[CORONA VIRUS, BREASTFEEDING AND GUIDELINES - A WORLDWIDE REVIEW].

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced countries worldwide to face major issues and challenges. Among those challenges is breastfeeding from the first hours after birth until late infancy, in hospitals and communities. There is a consensus throughout the world and among leading international professional medical associations that breastfeeding is of significant importance for short- and long-term health outcomes in mothers and infants, as well as for its public health impact and reduction of national health expenditures. Moreover, breastfeeding or human milk feeding have been shown to reduce morbidity, specifically respiratory infections, among infants and children. This is not the first time health systems are dealing with coronavirus outbreaks, although currently, in the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still much that is unknown. Dealing with the unknown can lead to guidelines that may not fully take into consideration relevant risk benefit ratios for individuals and groups. In this review, we aim to summarize the guidelines of different leading professional groups around the world dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence-based medicine rests on relevant scientific evidence, patients' values and preferences and clinical judgment. We wish to propose guidelines based on available evidence concerning breastfeeding, the current pandemic and weighing in potential risks and benefits while highlighting the need for ongoing breastfeeding research.