Contraceptive uptake, reproductive choices and sexual behavior of HIV positive compared to HIV negative women participating in the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV program in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Contraceptive uptake and pregnancy desires have not been adequately reported within prevention of mother to 
child transmission (PMTCT) initiatives in developing countries. Women were enrolled from a PMTCT program at 
36 gestational weeks. A questionnaire on contraception and conception desires was interview administered to 
the women between 3 and 24 months after birth. A total of 273 women responded to the questionnaire, 189 HIV 
infected and 84 HIV negative. Significant differences were observed by HIV status for all types of contraception 
with 22% of the HIV infected women reporting none usage compared to 14% for HIV negatives (p < 0.001). Over 
50% of the HIV infected women reported using condoms compared to 13% among the negatives (p < 0.001), 
whereas 13% of HIV infected women expressed desire for subsequent children. More than 60% of the women did 
not know their sexual partner’s HIV status regardless of their own, whilst 25% of the HIV infected had not 
disclosed their status to their sexual partners. Contraceptive use was high regardless of women’s HIV status, 
whereas a high proportion of HIV negative women were not using condoms. Some of the HIV infected women 
expressed future pregnancy desires whilst others had not disclosed their HIV status.