Childbearing dilemma among married HIV-infected women in Iran; qualitative study

Abstract

Despite the possibility of having HIV-infected children and the vulnerability of families, women living with HIV/AIDS still tend to have children. The aim of this study was to explore the childbearing experiences among women living with HIV in Fars, Iran. This is a qualitative content analysis. Twenty-two participants were selected from the married HIV-infected women who referred to the Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) center in Fars province. The concept of “childbearing dilemma” consist of “childbearing stimulants” and “childbearing deterrents,” which emerged from women’s descriptions of the childbearing decision. Different motives and obstacles affected their decision. Interestingly, financial problems were not mentioned as a significant issue and the decision to have a child was an emotional factor rather than financial. Hence, understanding the motives and obstacles is important, and the decision to have a child is anyone’s right, which should not be deprived of.

Keywords:

• Barrier
• childbearing
• decision
• HIV/AIDS
• motivation
• women

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Mr. H. Argasi at the Research Consultation Center (RCC) of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences for his invaluable assistance in editing this manuscript. We also appreciate the efforts of all women who participated in the study and helped us better understand the childbearing decision among HIV infected women.

Additional information

Funding

We greatly appreciate the Vice Chancellery for Research, Shiraz University of Medical Science for financial support of the project [No. 94-01-40-9527].