Reproductive experience of HIV-infected women living in Europe

Fiore, Simona; Heard, Isabelle; Thorne, Claire; Savasi, Valeria; Coll, O.; Malyuta, Ruslan; Niemiec, Tomasz; Martinelli, Pasquale; Tibaldi, Cecilia; Newell, Marie‐Louise

doi:10.1093/humrep/den232

Cited by 39 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A European study suggested that being HIV-infected neither influenced the desire for children, nor the decision to become pregnant (Fiore et al, 2008), which has been corroborated by our qualitative findings. It has been shown that a variety of biomedical, individual and sociocultural factors influence pregnancy decisionmaking for HIV-positive women (Kirshenbaum et al, 2004), availability of treatment certainly plays an important role (Cooper et al, 2009).…”

Section: Aids Care 923supporting

confidence: 86%

Mirror, mirror on the wall: the face of HIV + women in Europe today

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and rights are important components of quality of life. This cross-sectional study describes HIV-positive women's SRH aspirations and needs and the predictive value of selected SRH factors on condom use with steady sexual partners. Data were collected in a European multi-centre study in 17 HIV centres in 14 European countries by a standardised anonymous self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analysis were carried out and qualitative data from related formative research illustrated the findings. Among 387 HIV-positive women, 57% had children and 35% had become pregnant since their HIV-diagnosis. Contraceptive needs were largely unmet: 14% had undergone a pregnancy termination. About 83% changed their sexual behaviour after HIV-diagnosis in some ways. Sixty-two percent had at least one sexual encounter with a steady partner during the past six months and 51% used condoms consistently. Significant correlations with condom use were identified for childbearing since HIV-diagnosis (r=-0.21, p<0.01), miscarriage since HIV-diagnosis (r=-0.24, p<0.01), the use of contraception (r=0.47, p<0.001) and changes in sexual behaviour after HIV-diagnosis (r=0.20, p<0.01). Hierarchical regression analysis controlled for education, migration background, age, undetectable viral load and partners' serostatus. The following significant predictors for condom use were established: the use of contraceptives (beta=0.33, p<0.001); miscarriage since HIV-diagnosis (beta=-0.16, p<0.01); childbearing since HIV-diagnosis (beta=-0.12, p<0.05); and having an HIV-positive partner (beta=-0.13, p<0.05). For study population, consistent condom use performed a challenge. Selected SRH-issues predicted condom use. Sexual risk reduction and positive prevention should be discussed in the context of family planning and integrate SRH perspectives in routine HIV care.

show abstract

Section: Aids Care 923supporting

confidence: 86%

Mirror, mirror on the wall: the face of HIV + women in Europe today

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although the majority of women interviewed in this study reported only one partner in the previous 12 months, 31.6% of the sample reported 10 or more sex partners in their lives. This number far surpasses those published in other Brazilian studies conducted in the general population (10%) 8 and in women living with HIV (19%) 15 . Evidence indicates that lifetime number of sex partners increases with age and the resulting time of sexual exposure 33,34 , and that the increase in number of partners is associated with early sexual initiation 29 .…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 48%

“…Various studies have attempted to evaluate the impact of the diagnosis of HIV infection on women, particularly in relation to their reproductive decisions 11,12,13,14,15 . In Brazil, several surveys have been documented on sexual behavior in the general population, using different methodologies 8,16,17 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual and reproductive health of women living with HIV in Southern Brazil

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This cross-sectional study focused on the sexual and reproductive health of women living with HIV, by age group, in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The sample consisted of 691 women. Differences were observed in number of pregnancies and number of children. History of illicit drug use was more frequent in the 18-34-year age group, and exchanging sex for money was more frequent among women 18-29 years of age. This sample of women living with HIV treated in specialized public services in Southern Brazil showed a socioeconomic profile and sexual behavior that did not match the pattern typically identified in the process of "feminization" of the epidemic (with a majority of poor women with low schooling and a limited number of sexual partners). The study provides evidence of factors characterizing women's vulnerability to HIV infection, differing by age and raising specific demands for healthcare services.

show abstract

“…The reported reasons for wanting to have children were mainly related to the ideas of liking children, wanting to form a family and pleasing their partner. Among the reasons for not wanting children, HIV infection played a major role, but was not a definitive factor [12]. Few of them had disclosed their HIV infection to their social circle and in most cases, only to the partner or very close familiar circle.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive desire in women with HIV infection in Spain, associated factors and motivations: a mixed-method study

Hernando

Alejos

Álvarez

et al. 2014

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundAntiretroviral therapy has created new expectations in the possibilities of procreation for persons living with HIV. Our objectives were to evaluate reproductive desire and to analyze the associated sociodemographic and clinical factors in HIV-infected women in the Spanish AIDS Research Network Cohort (CoRIS).MethodsA mixed qualitative-quantitative approach was designed. Women of reproductive age (18–45) included in CoRIS were interviewed by phone, and data were collected between November 2010 and June 2012 using a specifically designed questionnaire. Reproductive desire was defined as having a desire to be pregnant at present or having unprotected sex with the purpose of having children or wanting to have children in the near future.ResultsOverall, 134 women were interviewed. Median age was 36 years (IQR 31–41), 55% were Spanish, and 35% were unemployed. 84% had been infected with HIV through unprotected sex, with a median time since diagnosis of 4.5 years (IQR 2.9-6.9). Reproductive desire was found in 49% of women and was associated with: 1) Age (women under 30 had higher reproductive desire than those aged 30–39; OR = 4.5, 95% CI 1.4-14.3); 2) having no children vs. already having children (OR = 3.2; 1.3-7.7 3); Being an immigrant (OR = 2.2; 1.0-5.0); and 4) Not receiving antiretroviral treatment (OR = 3.6; 1.1-12.1). The main reasons for wanting children were related to liking children and wanting to form a family. Reasons for not having children were HIV infection, older age and having children already. Half of the women had sought or received information about how to have a safe pregnancy, 87% had disclosed their serostatus to their family circle, and 39% reported having experienced discrimination due to HIV infection.ConclusionsThe HIV-infected women interviewed in CoRIS have a high desire for children, and the factors associated with this desire are not fundamentally different from those of women in the general population. Maternity may even help them face a situation they still consider stigmatized and prefer not to disclose. Health-care protocols for handling HIV-positive women should incorporate specific interventions on sexual and reproductive health to help them fulfill their procreation desire and experience safe pregnancies.

show abstract

Reproductive experience of HIV-infected women living in Europe

Abstract: Our results suggest that these days knowledge of HIV infection neither influences the desire for children nor the decisions regarding pregnancy in HIV-infected women living in Europe.

Cited by 39 publications

References 16 publications

Mirror, mirror on the wall: the face of HIV + women in Europe today

Mirror, mirror on the wall: the face of HIV + women in Europe today

Sexual and reproductive health of women living with HIV in Southern Brazil

Reproductive desire in women with HIV infection in Spain, associated factors and motivations: a mixed-method study

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About