Pregnancy through the Lens of Iranian Women with HIV: A Qualitative Study

J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care. 2016 Mar-Apr;15(2):148-52. doi: 10.1177/2325957415593636. Epub 2015 Jul 8.

Abstract

To explore the experience of pregnancy among Iranian women with HIV, 12 HIV-infected pregnant women who referred to counseling center for behavioral diseases in Imam Khomeini Hospital were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected by face-to-face, semi-structured interview and were analyzed using conventional content analysis method. Four main themes emerged from the data: fear and hope, stigma and discrimination, marital life stability, and trust in God. Despite concerns about mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and uncertain life span, HIV-infected women tended to continue their pregnancy, and having children was viewed as a window of hope for them.

Keywords: HIV; pregnancy; qualitative study.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Counseling
  • Fear
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • HIV Infections / psychology*
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • Humans
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
  • Iran / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnant People / psychology*
  • Qualitative Research
  • Religion
  • Social Stigma
  • Young Adult