Factors Influencing Reproductive Choices of HIV Infected Married Women: A Prospective Cohort Study in Mumbai, India

Emily Das, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Naval G Daver, Grant Medical College

This descriptive study sought to identify factors that influence the decision to terminate or continue with pregnancy in the context of HIV infection. Also an attempt was made to assess the level of use of contraceptive methods and the future child bearing intension. Interviews were conducted with a sample of 119 HIV infected women with the help of semi-structured interview schedule. Few in-depth interviews were also conducted separately for women who sought an abortion, who decided to continue with pregnancy and delivered even when eligible for MTP, and who thought of making an abortion in the beginning but later continued with pregnancy and delivered. The study was conducted in an antenatal OPD of a public hospital in Mumbai where NACO-UNICEF sponsored PMTCT project is currently in progress since April 2000. In this study site HIV prevalence among ANC attendees has increased from 5.3 percent in 2000-2001 to 7.1 percent in 2001-2001.