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Paper Title

The Intersection Between Women’s Reproductive Desires and HIV Care Providers’ Reproductive Health Practices: A Mixed Methods Analysis

Keywords

  • hiv
  • young women
  • reproductive health
  • pregnancy
  • hiv care providers
  • reproductive desires
  • contraception
  • pregnancy intentions
  • mixed methods analysis
  • adolescent medicine
  • family planning
  • maternal health
  • sexual health
  • healthcare access
  • hiv prevention
  • perinatal care
  • contraceptive counseling
  • medical appointments
  • reproductive rights
  • women’s health
  • hiv transmission
  • safe pregnancy
  • dual protection
  • health disparities
  • clinical practices
  • adolescent health
  • public health
  • women’s autonomy
  • healthcare integration
  • patient-centered care
  • reproductive justice
  • healthcare policy
  • fertility desires
  • hiv treatment
  • maternal-fetal health
  • sexual risk behavior
  • family planning services
  • provider perspectives
  • health equity
  • medical decision-making
  • community health
  • health education
  • social determinants of health
  • women living with hiv
  • stigma in healthcare
  • care coordination
  • adolescent pregnancy
  • hiv research
  • preventative care

Article Type

Case report

Research Impact Tools

Issue

Volume : 22 | Issue : 9 | Page No : 1233–1239

Published On

January, 2018

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Abstract

Background HIV-positive women in the United States can have healthy pregnancies and avoid transmitting HIV to their children. Yet, little is known about the extent to which HIV care providers’ reproductive health practices match women’s pregnancy desires. Accordingly, we explored young HIV-positive women’s pregnancy desires and reproductive health behaviors and examined reproductive health information offered by HIV care clinics. Methods A mixed-method analysis was conducted using data from a 14-site Adolescent Medicine Trials Network (ATN) study. We conducted descriptive statistics on data from 25 HIV-positive women (e.g., demographics, pregnancy desires, and sexual- and health-related behaviors). Qualitative interviews with 58 adolescent and adult clinic providers were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Results About half of the women reported using reproductive health care services (i.e., contraception and pregnancy tests) (n = 12) and wanted a future pregnancy (n = 13). Among women who did not desire a future pregnancy (n = 5), three used dual methods and two used condoms at last sexual encounter. Qualitative themes related to clinics’ approaches to reproductive health (e.g., “the emphasis…is to encourage use of contraceptives”) and the complexity of merging HIV and reproductive care (e.g., “We [adolescent clinic] transition pregnant moms from our care back and forth to adult care”). Discussion Despite regular HIV-related medical appointments, HIV-positive women may have unaddressed reproductive health needs (e.g., pregnancy desire with providers focused on contraceptive use). Findings from this study suggest that increased support for young HIV-positive women’s reproductive health is needed, including supporting pregnancy desires (to choose when, how, and if, to have children).

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