Being an HIV-positive mother: meanings for HIV-positive women and for professional nursing staff

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To comprehend the meanings of being an HIV-positive mother for HIV-positive women and for professional nursing staff of shared in-patient maternity wards, and to identify similarities and contrasts present in these meanings. METHODS: This was a descriptive and comparative secondary analysis study of data from two previous larger studies conducted in Public Hospitals of the Greater Florianopolis Area, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Data was collected through observation and interviews. RESULTS: For HIV-positive women the main meaning of being an HIV-positive mother was being a "super-mom" while for professional nursing staff the meaning was being "resistant." The meaning of being super-mom focuses on the motherhood role, which may be incompatible with the condition of carrier of the HIV virus. The meaning of being resistant does not fit with the experience of being mother. CONCLUSION: The meanings attributed by HIV-positive women, compared to those attributed by professional nursing staff, suggest prejudice, social stigma, and symbolic vulnerability.