Religion, relationships and reproduction: correlates of desire for a child among mothers living with HIV

AIDS Behav. 2011 Aug;15(6):1233-42. doi: 10.1007/s10461-010-9788-7.

Abstract

Despite challenges facing HIV-positive women in the U.S., some maintain strong desires and intentions for motherhood. We explore correlates of desire for another child-particularly current parenting experiences (number of children, parenting efficacy, parenting satisfaction, parenting practices, parental distress, and child-related quality of life), age, spirituality/religiosity, stress, coping, hopelessness, partner's desire for a child, social support, and stigma-among a sample of HIV-positive mothers (n = 96) in Alabama. Partner's desire for a child, participation in private religious practices, avoidant coping, and parity were significantly associated with desire for a child in multivariate models. Such findings indicate a need for reproductive counseling and education that is sensitive to the role of religious norms and values in fertility decision-making and suggest opportunities for partnership with faith-based organizations. Further studies examining the impact of relationship dynamics on childbearing desires among U.S. women living with HIV/AIDS are also needed.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Alabama
  • Decision Making
  • Female
  • Fertility*
  • HIV Infections / psychology*
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • Humans
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / prevention & control
  • Intention*
  • Male
  • Mothers / psychology*
  • Parenting / psychology*
  • Parity
  • Pregnancy
  • Quality of Life
  • Religion*
  • Reproduction
  • Sexual Partners
  • Social Support
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Young Adult