Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of the National Medical Association logoLink to Journal of the National Medical Association
. 2005 Dec;97(12):1672–1681.

Fertility desires and intentions of HIV-positive patients at a suburban specialist center.

Olufemi T Oladapo 1, Olusoji J Daniel 1, Okanlawon L Odusoga 1, Oluwafayokemi Ayoola-Sotubo 1
PMCID: PMC2640756  PMID: 16396059

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine the extent of fertility desires and intentions of HIV-positive patients receiving care at a suburban specialist clinic and assess how these may vary by their sociodemographic and health-related factors. METHODS: Questionnaire-based interview of a consecutive sample of HIV-positive men (18-55 years) and HIV-positive women (18-45 years) who presented at the HIV clinic of the Center for Special Studies, Sagamu, Nigeria, between November and December 2004. RESULTS: 63.3% of the 147 studied participants expressed the desire for childbearing, even though 50.4% of them already had > or = 2 children. Respectively, 71.5% and 93.8% of men and women who desired children intended to have > or = 2 in the near future. Only 4.3% of those who desired children did not intend to have any. All 30 individuals who had no children intended to bear children in the future, and they constituted 32.3% of those who expressed the desire for childbearing. Multivariate logistic regression analyses of associated factors indicated that decreasing age, shorter time since diagnosis of HIV infection and nondisclosure of serostatus to current partner significantly increase the odds of desire for childbearing, while having no children and a poor most-recent CD4 count significantly increase the odds of intention to have > or = 3 children instead of 1-2. CONCLUSION: The extent of the fertility desires and intentions of these patients poses a threat to the preventive strategies against vertical and heterosexual transmission of HIV in this region. In view of their compelling desire for parenthood, it may be wise for caregivers to desist from the conventional systematic advice against pregnancy but, in addition to laying emphasis on the risks, provide adequate information on practicable reproductive options for HIV-positive individuals.

Full text

PDF
1672

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Akinsete I., Akanmu A. S., Okany C. C. Spectrum of clinical diseases in HIV-infected adults at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital: a five-year experience [1992-1996]. Afr J Med Med Sci. 1998 Sep-Dec;27(3-4):147–151. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Allen S., Serufilira A., Gruber V., Kegeles S., Van de Perre P., Carael M., Coates T. J. Pregnancy and contraception use among urban Rwandan women after HIV testing and counseling. Am J Public Health. 1993 May;83(5):705–710. doi: 10.2105/ajph.83.5.705. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chen J. L., Philips K. A., Kanouse D. E., Collins R. L., Miu A. Fertility desires and intentions of HIV-positive men and women. Fam Plann Perspect. 2001 Jul-Aug;33(4):144-52, 165. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. De Cock K. M., Fowler M. G., Mercier E., de Vincenzi I., Saba J., Hoff E., Alnwick D. J., Rogers M., Shaffer N. Prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in resource-poor countries: translating research into policy and practice. JAMA. 2000 Mar 1;283(9):1175–1182. doi: 10.1001/jama.283.9.1175. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Englert Y., Van Vooren J. P., Place I., Liesnard C., Laruelle C., Delbaere A. ART in HIV-infected couples: has the time come for a change of attitude? Hum Reprod. 2001 Jul;16(7):1309–1315. doi: 10.1093/humrep/16.7.1309. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Fiscus Susan A., Adimora Adaora A., Funk Michele L., Schoenbach Victor J., Tristram Deborah, Lim Wilma, McKinney Ross, Rupar David, Woods Charles, Wilfert Catherine. Trends in interventions to reduce perinatal human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission in North Carolina. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2002 Jul;21(7):664–668. doi: 10.1097/00006454-200207000-00012. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Guay L. A., Musoke P., Fleming T., Bagenda D., Allen M., Nakabiito C., Sherman J., Bakaki P., Ducar C., Deseyve M. Intrapartum and neonatal single-dose nevirapine compared with zidovudine for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in Kampala, Uganda: HIVNET 012 randomised trial. Lancet. 1999 Sep 4;354(9181):795–802. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(99)80008-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jackson J. Brooks, Musoke Philippa, Fleming Thomas, Guay Laura A., Bagenda Danstan, Allen Melissa, Nakabiito Clemensia, Sherman Joseph, Bakaki Paul, Owor Maxensia. Intrapartum and neonatal single-dose nevirapine compared with zidovudine for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in Kampala, Uganda: 18-month follow-up of the HIVNET 012 randomised trial. Lancet. 2003 Sep 13;362(9387):859–868. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(03)14341-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Miller W. B. Childbearing motivations, desires, and intentions: a theoretical framework. Genet Soc Gen Psychol Monogr. 1994 May;120(2):223–258. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Morris L., Pillay C., Gray G., McIntyre J. HIV-1 drug resistance and mother-to-child transmission. SADJ. 2001 Dec;56(12):614–616. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Panozzo Laura, Battegay Manuel, Friedl Andree, Vernazza Pietro L., Swiss Cohort Study High risk behaviour and fertility desires among heterosexual HIV-positive patients with a serodiscordant partner--two challenging issues. Swiss Med Wkly. 2003 Feb 22;133(7-8):124–127. doi: 10.4414/smw.2003.10124. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Ryder R. W., Batter V. L., Nsuami M., Badi N., Mundele L., Matela B., Utshudi M., Heyward W. L. Fertility rates in 238 HIV-1-seropositive women in Zaire followed for 3 years post-partum. AIDS. 1991 Dec;5(12):1521–1527. doi: 10.1097/00002030-199112000-00016. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Stein M. D., Freedberg K. A., Sullivan L. M., Savetsky J., Levenson S. M., Hingson R., Samet J. H. Sexual ethics. Disclosure of HIV-positive status to partners. Arch Intern Med. 1998 Feb 9;158(3):253–257. doi: 10.1001/archinte.158.3.253. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of the National Medical Association are provided here courtesy of National Medical Association

RESOURCES