Religion, relationships and reproduction: correlates of desire for a child among mothers living with HIV.
Despite challenges facing HIV-positive women in the U.S., some maintain strong desires and intentions for motherhood. We explore correlates of desire for another child-particularly current parenting experiences (number of children, parenting efficacy, parenting satisfaction, parenting practices, parental distress, and child-related quality of life), age, spirituality/religiosity, stress, coping, hopelessness, partner's desire for a child, social support, and stigma-among a sample of HIV-positive mothers (n = 96) in Alabama. Partner's desire for a child, participation in private religious practices, avoidant coping, and parity were significantly associated with desire for a child in multivariate models. Such findings indicate a need for reproductive counseling and education that is sensitive to the role of religious norms and values in fertility decision-making and suggest opportunities for partnership with faith-based organizations. Further studies examining the impact of relationship dynamics on childbearing desires among U.S. women living with HIV/AIDS are also needed.
De La Cruz
Natalie G
NG
Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, RPHB 227, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. ndelacruz@uab.edu
Davies
Susan L
SL
Stewart
Katharine E
KE
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000407:Alabama; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012067:Religion; D012098:Reproduction; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult