Document 0129
 DOCN  M9470129
 TI    Attitudes toward childbearing and changes in sexual and contraceptive
       practices among HIV-infected women.
 DT    9409
 AU    Lai KK; Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical;
       Center, Worcester 01655.
 SO    Cleve Clin J Med. 1994 Mar-Apr;61(2):132-6; quiz 161. Unique Identifier
       : AIDSLINE MED/94251909
 AB    BACKGROUND: Women now constitute 12% of persons with acquired
       immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and three quarters of them are well
       within their childbearing age. OBJECTIVE: To determine if women infected
       with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) change their attitudes toward
       childbearing and their sexual and contraceptive practices. METHODS:
       Questionnaire and interview. RESULTS: Forty-six women age 18 to 44
       participated; 33 were white, 12 were Hispanic, and 1 was black.
       Intravenous drug abuse was reported by 65%. Nineteen had symptomatic HIV
       disease or AIDS. Only 70% said they had received counseling after
       testing. Of these, 59% said they were counseled on avoiding pregnancy,
       and 81% said they were counseled on use of condoms. Before testing, 59%
       had wanted to have children; after testing, only 17% did. Only 4% said
       they had always used condoms before testing, but 54% said they did after
       testing; 39% said they used some form of birth control before testing
       compared with 70% who said they did after testing. CONCLUSIONS:
       Counseling was not optimal. Sexual and contraceptive practices changed,
       but follow-up study will be needed to see if such changes are sustained.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  *Attitude to Health  Condoms  *Contraception
       Behavior  Female  Human  HIV Infections/*PSYCHOLOGY  Patient Education
       Pregnancy/PSYCHOLOGY  *Sex Behavior  Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
       JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).