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Understanding High Fertility Desires and Intentions Among a Sample of Urban Women Living with HIV in the United States

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Abstract

To assess childbearing motivations, fertility desires and intentions, and their relationship with key factors, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 181 HIV-infected women of reproductive age (15–44 years) receiving clinical care at two urban health clinics. Fertility desires (59%) and intentions (66% of those who desired a child) were high among this predominately African American sample of women, while the proportion with accurate knowledge of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) was low (15%). Multivariate regression analyses identified factors significantly associated with the intention to have a child. Notably, age and parity did not remain significant in the adjusted model. The discrepancies between expressed desires and intentions for future childbearing, and the strong role of perceived partner desire for childbearing emphasize the need for universal reproductive counseling to help women living with HIV navigate their reproductive decisions and facilitate safe pregnancies and healthy children.

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Notes

  1. Woman’s perception of her partners feelings about having a child.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Women’s HIV Program for providing funds for participant remuneration. We acknowledge the contributions of the providers and staff at the two data collection sites, the valuable assistance with participant recruitment from Rosemary Ramroop, Jennifer Gaver and Angela Williams. We sincerely thank the adolescent and adult women who participated in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Sarah Finocchario-Kessler, Michael D. Sweat & Deanna L. Kerrigan

  2. Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Jacinda K. Dariotis

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Maria E. Trent

  4. Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Jean M. Keller & Jean R. Anderson

  5. 5813 Oakview Street, Shawnee, KS, 66216, USA

    Sarah Finocchario-Kessler

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  1. Sarah Finocchario-Kessler
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  2. Michael D. Sweat
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  3. Jacinda K. Dariotis
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  4. Maria E. Trent
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  5. Deanna L. Kerrigan
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Correspondence to Sarah Finocchario-Kessler.

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Finocchario-Kessler, S., Sweat, M.D., Dariotis, J.K. et al. Understanding High Fertility Desires and Intentions Among a Sample of Urban Women Living with HIV in the United States. AIDS Behav 14, 1106–1114 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-009-9637-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-009-9637-8

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