Factors Affecting Fertility Intention Among People Living with HIV in Kunming, China

Yingwu Guo; Yingrong Du; Sanguan Lerkiatbundit; Jun Liu; Jingsong Bai; Yongrui Yang; Yin Yang; Aihui Wu; Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong

doi:10.2147/HIV.S365467

Factors Affecting Fertility Intention Among People Living with HIV in Kunming, China

HIV AIDS (Auckl). 2022 May 30:14:265-273. doi: 10.2147/HIV.S365467. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Yingwu Guo^{1

2}, Yingrong Du¹, Sanguan Lerkiatbundit³, Jun Liu¹, Jingsong Bai¹, Yongrui Yang¹, Yin Yang¹, Aihui Wu¹, Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Infectious Diseases, Third People's Hospital of Kunming City, Kunming, People's Republic of China.
² Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand.
³ Department of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand.

Abstract

Background: Survival and quality of life of people living with HIV (PLWH) have been improving. Understanding fertility intention among PLWH is critical in helping them accomplish their pregnancy goals while significantly lowering the risk of HIV transmission. The purpose of this study was to identify factors based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) that may explain fertility intention among PLWH.

Methods: A survey was conducted in face-to-face interviews based on TPB, and the latent variables were devised and tested for their potential influences on fertility intentions in 487 reproductive-aged PLWH at antiretroviral treatment clinics in Kunming, China. Analysis was mainly based on the structural equation model.

Results: About 38.4% of the respondents answered that they were likely to have a/another child in the next three years. Our hypothesized factors could explain 53.7% of the total variance of fertility intention. The 20- to 35-year-old group had a higher fertility intention. Perceived partner expectations toward fertility were the strongest predictors of fertility intention followed by beliefs in the support of the two-child policy. In contrast, the three components of attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control did not influence fertility intention.

Conclusion: In this HIV endemic area of China, fertility intended by PLWH is a matter of the couple that is also influenced by the national population fertility policy.

Keywords: fertility intention; people living with HIV; theory of planned behavior.

Grants and funding

Funding was received from the Higher Education Research Promotion and Thailand’s Education Hub for the Southern Region of ASEAN Countries Project Office of the Higher Education Commission (TEH-AC:016/2018).