Realizing Women Living with HIV ’s Reproductive Rights in the Era of ART: The Negative Impact of Non-consensual HIV Disclosure on Pregnancy Decisions Amongst Women Living with HIV in a Canadian Setting

AbstractTo better understand the structural drivers of women living with HIV ’s (WLWH’s) reproductive rights and choices, this study examined the structural correlates, including non-consensual HIV disclosure, on WLWH’s pregnancy decisions and describes access to preconception care. Analyses drew on data (2014-present) from SHAWNA, a longitudinal community-based cohort with WLWH across Metro-Vancouver, Canada. Multivariable logistic regression was used to model the effect of non-consensual HIV disclosure on WLWH’s pregnancy decisions. Of the 218 WLWH included in our analysis, 24.8% had ever felt discouraged from becoming pregnant and 11.5% reported accessing pr econception counseling. In multivariable analyses, non-consensual HIV disclosure was positively associated with feeling discouraged from wanting to become pregnant (AOR 3.76; 95% CI 1.82–7.80). Non-consensual HIV disclosure adversely affects WLWH’s pregnancy decisions. Supporting the reproductiv e rights of WLWH will require further training among general practitioners on the reproductive health of WLWH and improved access to women-centred, trauma-informed care, including non-judgmental preconception counseling.
Source: AIDS and Behavior - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research