Siltrakul M, Mongkoljit S, Tochiep B, Suvanich R, Srivongchai S; International Conference on AIDS (15th : 2004 : Bangkok, Thailand).
Int Conf AIDS. 2004 Jul 11-16; 15: abstract no. TuPeC4865.
Disease Prevention and control region 5, Nakhonratchasima, Thailand
Background: Finding from HIV surveillance in region 5 indicate that the proportion of non-primigravidas infected with HIV has increased steadily over the past five years. As of 2002, it was as high as 75%. This qualitative study was undertaken to explore the reasons why HIV-positive women decided to become pregnant and to carry that pregnancy to term. Methods: Thirty-two HIV-positive pregnant women attending the antenatal care clinics in public hospitals in region 5 were enrolled. Their age ranged from 19-40 years (Mean=27, SD=5.2); 92.3% were newly married. Content analysis of data from in-depth interviews was done. Results: There were 4 main reasons that the women chose to become pregnant such as their new husband wanted to have children with them, the women were not aware that they were HIV-positive before they become pregnant, the failure of contraception and receiving the information about prevention of mother to child transmission. In general, there was a lack of awareness about how to prevent HIV. The women knew that their pregnancy was high risk and could endanger their and/or the baby's health. They felt sad, fearful and inferior. A half of them would have liked to terminate the pregnancy, as a result of the transmission of HIV to their baby. Findings also reveal the strategies women developed to cope with being HIV positive. Conclusions: Campaigns, especially in the workplace and among labor unions, should be strengthened to promote condom use as a universal precaution. In addition, HIV testing before marriage and pregnancy should be encouraged. Counseling system also should be developed especially in HIV-negative clients as they may become infected after their initial antenatal visit.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Child
- Counseling
- Female
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Humans
- Infant
- Mass Screening
- Mothers
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy Complications, Infectious
- Pregnancy Outcome
- Prenatal Care
- therapy
Other ID:
UI: 102282680
From Meeting Abstracts