Fertility intentions among HIV positive women aged 18–49 years in Addis Ababa Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundGiven the degree of HIV epidemic among women and the current antiretroviral therapy (ART) scale up in Ethiopia; considering the issue of fertility is vital to ensure the delivery of integrated reproductive health along with prevention services provided to positive women. This study was aimed to assess fertility intentions of women living with HIV attending public health institutions (hospitals & health centers) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.MethodsInstitution based cross sectional survey was conducted, among 1855 HIV positive, women aged 18–49 years selected from different public health facilities in Addis Ababa; from June to October 2012. Information was gathered by using interviewer administered questionnaires. Data were double entered in EPI Info version 3.5.2 software, cleaned finally exported to IBM SPSS statistics version 20 for analysis. Logistic regression models were used to predict the association of study variables and adjusted for possible confounders.ResultOverall, 44% of women reported fertility intention. ART users had higher fertility intention (AOR; 1.26, 95%CI; 1.01 to 1.60) than ART naïve. In addition to this, having partner being on sexual relationship, young age, being single and having fewer or no children were found to be predictors of fertility intentions. The presence of ART, improvement of health condition and the influence of husband were the main reasons for childbearing intentions of women in the study area.ConclusionA considerable proportion of women reported fertility intention. There was an association between fertility intentions and ART use. It is important for health care providers and policy makers to strengthen the fertility need of HIV positive women along with HIV care so that women may decide freely and responsibly on their fertility issues.

Water handling and low cost treatment practice of peoples living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Arba Minch Town, Southern Ethiopia, 2016

“…Similar studies of HIV-infected women aged 18 to 49 in Ethiopia and Ghana identified intention proportions of 44% (Asfaw and Gashe, 2014) and 58% (Gyimah et al, 2015), respectively. Past research among HIV-infected South African women also reported childbearing intention that was lower than identified in our study: a 45% proportion of intention was found among a Cape Town cohort aged 25 to 34 (Cooper et al, 2009), and 30% proportion was identified in a cohort aged 18 to 44 in Soweto (Kaida et al, 2011).…”

“…This is similar to prior findings among South African women (Kaida et al, 2011) and in the aforementioned meta-analysis (Berhan and Berhan, 2013). Some studies, however, have found being on ART to be correlated with increased childbearing intention (Abbawa et al, 2015; Asfaw and Gashe, 2014; Cooper et al, 2009). …”

“…While several studies have found younger age to be associated with increased childbearing intention (Asfaw and Gashe, 2014; Haddad et al, 2016; Kawale et al, 2014; Lemoine et al, 2011), some have identified increased age as a positive predictor of childbearing intention (Gyimah et al, 2015; Laar et al, 2015). A meta-analysis of fertility desires among HIV-infected men and women identified age less than 30 to be strongly associated with fertility intention (Berhan and Berhan, 2013).…”

“…Some prior research has found a history of giving birth to be associated with decreased prospective childbearing intention among HIV-infected women (Abbawa et al, 2015; Asfaw and Gashe, 2014; Kawale et al 2014; Melaku et al, 2014). A study of HIV-infected Ghanaian women, however, found childbearing intention to be positively associated with a history of childbearing (Gyimah et al, 2015).…”

Sexual Practices, Fertility Intentions, and Awareness to Prevent Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV Among Infected Pregnant Women at the Yaounde Central Hospital

“…Although they dramatically decrease the chances of sexual and perinatal HIV transmission, such techniques are rarely used in sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that the prevalence of HIV infection might decrease but does not eliminate fertility intentions 1, 3, 14, 15. The management of HIV-infected pregnant women poses specific challenges for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and horizontal transmission in lower-income countries 16, 17.…”