Table 4.

Providers’ clinical priorities and safer conception training

Provider perspectives:

1
My one concern is that there is pressure on women to fall pregnant before they are physically ready to do so. I’ve had some women who are in really difficult situations, got engaged or married and now they have found out that they are HIV-positive and the mother-in-law and the family wants them to have a baby. So to try and get them to postpone falling pregnant for as long as possible is difficult…. But once women are healthy and their viral load is suppressed, then by all means. (male, doctor, rural)
2
It is a challenge, as you have many patients whose CD4s are not high enough. CD4 are not more than 200, viral load is not suppressed, and partner has not even tested. They still have unsafe sex. They do want to conceive. (female, nurse, urban)
3
In the past it was always said you shouldn’t have a child, before the ARVs came along. (female, nurse, urban)
4
Like is this child going to have a future? How long is the ARV going to be effective for the parents? And then the child is going to be parentless; like orphans basically. … I always think of the child. (female, nurse, urban)

Client Perspectives:

5
I think about my HIV status, am I going to affect the child? Is it possible to have another baby or not? That is what bothers me the most. What should I do to protect my baby from getting the virus? (female, 26, rural)