title: Desire for children and pregnancy risk behavior among HIV-infected men and women in Uganda.
abstract: To identify ways to improve prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,092 HIV-infected men and women attending an AIDS support organization in Jinja, Uganda, between October 2003 and June 2004. Pregnancy risk behavior was defined as having sex without contraceptive or condom. Overall, 42% of participants were sexually active, 33% practiced pregnancy risk behavior, and 18% desired more children. Men were almost four times to want more children than the women (27% vs. 7%). Among those practicing pregnancy risk behavior, 73% did not want more children and were at high risk for unwanted pregnancies. Although 81% knew that mother-to-child transmission of HIV could be prevented, only 22% believed that an HIV-infected woman who received PMTCT therapy could still deliver an HIV-infected child. Lack of MTCT information, having attended the program for </=2 years and desire for children were independently associated with pregnancy risk behavior. PMTCT and other HIV prevention and care programs should ensure provision of family planning for HIV-infected populations who do not want to become pregnant.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC-Uganda, Uganda Virus Research Institute, P.O. Box 49, Entebbe, Uganda. Nakayiwas@UG.CDC.GOV
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakayiwa
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abang
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Packel
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lifshay
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Purcell
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Enoch
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ezati
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mermin
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bunnell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda