title: Access of people living with HIV to infertility services: perspective of Brazilian healthcare professionals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the perspective of professionals in university and public assisted reproductive technology (ART) and HIV/AIDS services in Brazil, on the demand of people living with HIV wishing to conceive.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mixed qualitative and quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional and case study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The quantitative component was based on telephone interviews to women's health and HIV/AIDS program managers at state and municipal level. For the qualitative case study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with health professionals of ART and HIV/AIDS services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only one university ART service provided care for seropositive couples, but 64% of the HIV/AIDS services at state level and 73% of municipal HIV/AIDS services offered reproductive counseling focused on preventing pregnancy. Difficulty in discussing desire to conceive, lack of political decision and of human and financial resources were the main reasons given by service managers for not offering the opportunity for HIV couples. Lack of appropriate referrals and of updated knowledge on reproductive options were constrains according to the interviews.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Desire to reproduce among people living with HIV is poorly addressed in public services in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Brazilian Ministry of Health, AIDS, STD, and Hepatitis Department, Brasilia, Brazil. androssi68@gmail.com
authors.forename: Andrea da Silveira
authors.initials: Ada S
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: Maria Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Makuch
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001938:Brazil; D003267:Contraception; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D036301:Qualitative Research; D046269:Reproductive Rights; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*