Abstract
Health and quality of life benefits accrued from the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) are commendable, but the social milieu continues to pose challenges for women’s decision making around having children. This paper qualitatively explored women’s questions and concerns around living with HIV, being on HAART and pregnancy. Women of reproductive age were recruited from Eastern Cape and Gauteng Provinces, South Africa. Information on women’s fertility desires and pregnancy planning was collected through participatory workshop, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews. Three main themes emerged. Women living with HIV require information on the impact of HIV on pregnancy outcomes and vice versa. Women who are young, lost a child, not consistently using contraception or who have not been seriously ill have positive reproductive aspirations. Ambivalent attitudes of health care workers towards pregnancy impacts women’s fertility aspirations. Unbiased pre-conceptual communication should form part of HIV treatment and care services, despite expressed pregnancy intentions.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bezner, K. R., Dakishoni, L., Shumba, L., Msachi, R., & Chirwa, M. (2008). “We grandmothers know plenty”: Breastfeeding, complementary feeding and the multifaceted role of grandmothers in Malawi. Social Science and Medicine, 66(5), 1095–1105. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.11.019.
Cooper, D., Bracken, H., Myer, L., Zweigenthal, V., Harries, J., Orner, P., et al. (2005). Reproductive intentions and choices among HIV-infected individuals in Cape Town, South Africa: Lessons for reproductive policy and service provision from a qualitative study. Policy brief. New York: Women’s Health Research Unit & Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit UCT, Population Council.
Cooper, D., Harries, J., Myer, L., Orner, P., Bracken, H., & Zweigenthal, V. (2007). “Life is still going on”: Reproductive intentions among HIV-positive women and men in South Africa. Social Science and Medicine, 65(2), 274–283. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.03.019.
Harries, J., Cooper, D., Myer, L., Bracken, H., Zweigenthal, V., & Orner, P. (2007). Policy maker and health care provider perspectives on reproductive decision-making amongst HIV-infected individuals in South Africa. BioMed Central Public Health, 7, 282.
Jewkes, R., Matubatuba, C., Metsing, D., Ngcobo, E., Makaota, F., Mbalati, G., et al. (2000). Stepping Stones: Feedback from the Field. Women’s Health. News & Views, 33, 24–26.
Kanniappan, S., Jeyapaul, M. J., & Kalyanwala, S. (2008). Desire for motherhood: Exploring HIV-positive women’s desires, intentions and decision-making in attaining motherhood. AIDS Care, 20, 625–630.
Mohohlo, M., Khosa, T., Mohapi, L., & Gray, G. (2006). Pregnancy-Related Events in an Antiretroviral Treatment Program. PEPFAR Implementers Meeting. Abstract 113.
Myer, L., Rebe, K., & Morroni, C. (2007). Missed opportunities to address reproductive health care needs among HIV-infected women in antiretroviral therapy programmes. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 12(12), 1484–1489.
Orner, P., Cooper, D., Myer, L., Zweigenthal, V., Bekker, L. G., & Moodley, J. (2008). Clients’ perspectives on HIV/AIDS care and treatment and reproductive health services in South Africa. AIDS Care, 20(10), 1217–1223. doi:10.1080/09540120701867008.
Rutenberg, N., Biddlecom, A. E., & Kaona, F. A. D. (2000). Reproductive decision-making in the context of HIV and AIDS: A qualitative study in Ndola, Zambia. International Family Planning Perspectives, 26(3), 124–130. doi:10.2307/2648301.
South African Department of Health. (2008). Report on the National HIV and Syphilis prevalence survey South Africa. Accessed on September 01, 2008, from http://www.doh.gov.za/docs/antenatal-f.html.
Stevens, M. (2008). From HIV prevention to reproductive health choices: HIV/AIDS treatment guidelines for women of reproductive age. African Journal of AIDS Research, 7(3), 353–359. doi:10.2989/AJAR.2008.7.3.12.659.
Acknowledgments
A special gratitude goes to all the participants who agreed to be interviewed for the research. We would like to thank Soul City management and staff for giving us permission to use the Stepping Stones workshop data. Part of this data was collected through funding received from the Africa Regional Sexuality Resources Centre, a special thank you goes to them and the Ford Foundation. We would like to gratefully acknowledge the support provided to us by our employers for time to write up this paper.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nduna, M., Farlane, L. Women Living with HIV in South Africa and Their Concerns About Fertility. AIDS Behav 13 (Suppl 1), 62–65 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-009-9545-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-009-9545-y