Determinants of Desire to Bear Children among Persons Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy in Lafia, Nigeria

Abstract

HIV positive individuals are living longer and better quality life courtesy of increasing access to free antiretroviral therapy and therefore faced with decisions to consider childbearing. Little is known about the fertility desires of persons living with HIV and AIDS receiving antiretroviral treatment in our environment. The study was aimed at determining fertility desires among HIV positive persons receiving antiretroviral treatment in Lafia, Nasarawa State Nigeria. The study was a cross-sectional study conducted on 320 patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in Lafia, North central, Nigeria using semi structured, interviewer administered questionnaires. Descriptive, Chi square and bivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the relationship between desire for children and Sociodemographic variables. More than half of the participants (54.7%) desired to have children. Results from the logistic regression model indicated that younger age (OR: 5.09, 95% CI: 1.82-12.22), having no living children (OR:14, 95% CI: 2.34-87.55) were significant predictors of desire to have children. Participants who were not members of any support group were less likely to desire to have children (OR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.12-0.85). Majority of PLHIV desire to have children. Younger age, lower number of living children, membership of support group of PLHIV were significant predictors of desire to have children. We recommend that counseling on fertility desires and family planning should be introduced into the ARV programme.

Keywords: Antiretroviral, Desire To Have Children, HIV, Lafia

Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 63, No. 5-6,2013