Desire for a child among HIV-infected women receiving antiretroviral therapy in Cameroon: results from the national survey EVAL (ANRS 12-116).
The majority of HIV-infected people in sub-Saharan Africa are women, many of reproductive age. Cameroon is severely hit by the AIDS epidemic and has developed a large national program for improving access to antiretroviral treatment (ART). The reproductive intentions of women living with HIV/AIDS (WLHA) who obtain access to ART in this country remain poorly documented. Our study aimed at exploring factors associated with the desire to have a child among 1433 ART-treated fertile WLHA aged <50. Analyses were based on data collected during the national cross-sectional survey EVAL (ANRS 12-116), which was conducted between September 2006 and March 2007 in 27 HIV care centers in Cameroon. Logistic regression was used to explore factors associated with women's desire to have a child, defined as reporting the wish to have a/another child. A total of 791 women (55%) reported the desire to have a child. After adjusting for age, matrimonial status, number of biological children, and sexual activity, the main factors independently associated with this desire in a multivariate analysis were having a good physical health-related quality of life (1.02 [1.01-1.03] for a one-point increment on the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey scale) and a CD4 count at ART initiation <200 cells/mm(3) (1.7 [1.2-2.4]). As a conclusion, the desire to have a child is frequent among ART-treated WLHA in Cameroon. HIV care and family planning programs should be integrated more thoroughly in order to support WLHA's reproductive choices.
INSERM, Université Aix Marseille, Marseille, France. fabienne.marcellin@inserm.fr
Fabienne
F
Marcellin
Camelia
C
Protopopescu
Claude
C
Abé
Sylvie
S
Boyer
Jérôme
J
Blanche
Pierre
P
Ongolo-Zogo
Sinata
S
Koulla-Shiro
Jean-Paul
JP
Moatti
Maria Patrizia
MP
Carrieri
Bruno
B
Spire
D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001290:Attitude; D002163:Cameroon; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life