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A Systematic Review of Factors Influencing Fertility Desires and Intentions Among People Living with HIV/AIDS: Implications for Policy and Service Delivery

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Abstract

With availability of antiretroviral treatments, HIV is increasingly recognised as a chronic disease people live with for many years. This paper critically reviews the current literature on fertility desires and reproductive intentions among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) and critiques the theoretical frameworks and methodologies used. A systematic review was conducted using electronic databases: ISI Web of Knowledge, Science Direct, Proquest, Jstor and CINAHL for articles published between 1990 and 2008. The search terms used were fertility desire, pregnancy, HIV, reproductive decision making, reproductive intentions, motherhood, fatherhood and parenthood. Twenty-nine studies were reviewed. Fertility desires were influenced by a myriad of demographic, health, stigma-associated and psychosocial factors. Cultural factors were also important, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Future research that examines fertility desires among PLHIV should include cultural beliefs and practices in the theoretical framework in order to provide a holistic understanding and to enable development of services that meet the reproductive needs of PLHIV.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for International Health and Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia

    Barbara Nattabi, Sandra C. Thompson & Jaya Earnest

  2. Centre for International Health/School of Public Health and Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia

    Jianghong Li

  3. Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, Makerere University School of Public Health, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda

    Christopher Garimoi Orach

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  1. Barbara Nattabi
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  2. Jianghong Li
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  3. Sandra C. Thompson
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  4. Christopher Garimoi Orach
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  5. Jaya Earnest
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Correspondence to Barbara Nattabi.

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Nattabi, B., Li, J., Thompson, S.C. et al. A Systematic Review of Factors Influencing Fertility Desires and Intentions Among People Living with HIV/AIDS: Implications for Policy and Service Delivery. AIDS Behav 13, 949–968 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-009-9537-y

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