Understanding high fertility desires and intentions among a sample of urban women living with HIV in the United States.
To assess childbearing motivations, fertility desires and intentions, and their relationship with key factors, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 181 HIV-infected women of reproductive age (15-44 years) receiving clinical care at two urban health clinics. Fertility desires (59%) and intentions (66% of those who desired a child) were high among this predominately African American sample of women, while the proportion with accurate knowledge of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) was low (15%). Multivariate regression analyses identified factors significantly associated with the intention to have a child. Notably, age and parity did not remain significant in the adjusted model. The discrepancies between expressed desires and intentions for future childbearing, and the strong role of perceived partner desire for childbearing emphasize the need for universal reproductive counseling to help women living with HIV navigate their reproductive decisions and facilitate safe pregnancies and healthy children.
Finocchario-Kessler
Sarah
S
Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. sfinocch@jhsph.edu
Sweat
Michael D
MD
Dariotis
Jacinda K
JK
Trent
Maria E
ME
Kerrigan
Deanna L
DL
Keller
Jean M
JM
Anderson
Jean R
JR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D033182:Intention; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009042:Motivation; D011247:Pregnancy; D043762:Reproductive Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult