Abstract
People living with HIV (PLWH) have distinct needs when it comes to reproductive health, specifically regarding fertility, family planning, and pregnancy, and these needs are often complicated by HIV status. While there is ample research that focuses on reproductive health in PLWH through a quantitative lens, there is a lack of research using qualitative methods, namely, the narrative interview model. We searched PubMed and relevant abstracts to identify 72 articles published from 1997 to 2016 that described a qualitative framework for exploring the behaviors and perceptions regarding family planning, abortion, pregnancy, parenthood, fertility, and forced sterility in PLWH. The inclusion criteria initially showed 147 articles, which were further screened to exclude those that did not address fertility and family planning specifically. Our final sample of articles included articles related to qualitative research on reproductive attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of PLWH. Several of these articles were mixed-methods analyses, but our focus was on the qualitative portion only. Further qualitative works in this area will not only contribute to gaps quantitative research in the field cannot capture by design, but also inform clinical practice, policy, and interventions through systematic, in-depth evaluation.
Highlights
Qualitative research on reproductive behaviors and perceptions of people living with HIV (PLWH) is lacking compared to quantitative studies
Results from studies discussing family planning (FP) among individuals, couples, and communities noted the importance of childbearing and the right to have children, regardless of the HIV status of the parents in their cultural context
There is a small but rich pool of qualitative studies that provide some insight into how an HIV diagnosis may complicate beliefs, perceptions, and behaviors related to reproductive health
Summary
Qualitative research on reproductive behaviors and perceptions of people living with HIV (PLWH) is lacking compared to quantitative studies. There is a dearth of qualitative studies in the United States that explore the reproductive narratives of PLWH. PLWH encounter many challenges in their interactions with reproductive health services, often impacting their pregnancy decisions [9, 10]. We summarize the existing qualitative literature on reproductive health perceptions and decision-making for PLWH. This article will contribute knowledge to an area of increasing needs for patient care and best practices because PLWH can engage in healthy, safe sexual relationships and make informed decisions surrounding safe reproduction with decreased risk of HIV transmission
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