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Unintended pregnancy among HIV‐positive pregnant women in Enugu, southeast Nigeria
Author(s) -
Ezugwu Euzebus C.,
Iyoke Chukwuemeka A.,
Nkwo Peter O.,
Ezegwui Hygenius U.,
Akabueze Jude C.,
Agu Polycap U.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2015.06.039
Subject(s) - medicine , unintended pregnancy , pregnancy , fertility , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , antiretroviral therapy , obstetrics , cross sectional study , family medicine , population , public health , demography , gynecology , environmental health , family planning , viral load , research methodology , nursing , pathology , sociology , biology , genetics
Abstract Objective To determine the prevalence and factors associated with unintended pregnancy among HIV‐positive pregnant women in Enugu, southeast Nigeria. Methods A questionnaire‐based cross‐sectional study was performed of HIV‐positive pregnant women receiving prenatal care at two tertiary health institutions in Enugu between March 1 and August 31, 2012. The women were interviewed with a pretested questionnaire. Results Overall, 180 HIV‐positive pregnant women were recruited, 67 (37.2%) of whom declared that their pregnancy was unintended. Overall, 174 (96.7%) patients were receiving antiretroviral therapy and 99 (55.0%) had future fertility intensions. Participants with regular partners (married or cohabiting) had a significantly higher rate of unintended pregnancy than those with unstable partners (40.3%, n = 64/159 vs 14.3%, n = 3/21 P = 0.029). Age, parity, educational level, and current treatment with antiretroviral therapy did not significantly affect the prevalence of unintended pregnancy. Conclusion A substantial number of HIV‐positive pregnant women declared their pregnancies to be unintended. Modern contraceptives should be made readily available and accessible to HIV‐positive women to help eliminate mother‐to‐child transmission of HIV and subsequent new pediatric HIV infections.