Should HIV-positive women have children?

Eve for Life

with Rosie Stone

Monday, September 13, 2010

Dear Eve,

Do you think women who are HIV-positive should be allowed to have children? Should there be laws that stop them from having children? I, personally, think that one should think about the unborn children first.

— Just Wondering

Dear Just Wondering,

Universal human rights must be extended to everyone. The right to love and to family are rights of people living with HIV.

In Jamaica, the Ministry of Health and the University of the West Indies have successfully developed the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). This programme targets pregnant mothers or clinic attendees. These HIV-infected mothers are given antiretroviral drugs and this helps in the prevention of transmission of the virus to the unborn child. Over the last five years, this programme has successfully brought the rate of transmission from 25 per cent in 2004 to fewer than five per cent today.

The decision surrounding having a child should reside with the potential parents and the medical caregiver, not the state. Childbearing, like any relational and family life decision, needs careful thought. With childbearing, some issues to consider are the safety and health of the mother, of the child and the overall family relationship. Not just during conception or pregnancy, but for the years after giving birth. Many HIV-positive persons fall in love daily, some marry and a few have children.

The National AIDS Committee (NAC), a non-government organisation, has recently revamped and upgraded its website and has made it very interactive. There are different forums on the website. I am one of the moderators of the forum Living Poz (PLHIV). If you would like to join me to discuss Human Rights and other matters, you may do so. I am available live on a Friday morning between 10 am to 12 noon. The public is invited to join at http//www.nacjamaica.org/forum. You may also go this website, sign up and post your views on HIV issues.

Abstinence and family values

Dear Eve,

Recently in the press there was a lot of talk about approaching HIV and AIDS with teaching abstinence and family values. I wanted to know what you think about this.

— AF

Dear AF

Teaching abstinence and family values should always be a part of the response to HIV and AIDS, especially in relation to young people. However, there are some Jamaican realities we have to deal with that these do not address. One is early initiation of sexual activity. Many of our young people are starting to have sex at an early age. There is also age-mixing (sexual relationships between adolescent girls and older men).

The Jamaica 2008 Knowledge, Attitude, Behaviour and Practices survey also revealed that transactional sex, which is defined as the exchange of gifts or money for sex, was common among over a third (37 per cent) of sexually active persons. The survey cites worsening economic conditions as playing a part in these behaviours. Along with these factors, the survey revealed that 38.9 per cent of sexually active respondents have had multiple partners in the last 12 months. Another factor driving the epidemic since 1982 is inadequate condom use.

These high-risk behaviours that some members of the population engage in make the abstinence and family values alone-argument an inadequate approach by itself. The only barrier that is available against HIV infection for sexually active people is proper condom use. HIV is a medical/social illness and the approaches to mitigating the spread has to be multidimensional as it affects all peoples.

You can send your questions or comments relating to HIV or related issues to info@eveforlife.org or write to Eve for Life, C/O Jamaica Observer.

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Should HIV-positive women have children?