The social and cultural setting which increases female vulnerability to HIV does not disappear when women living with HIV/AIDS discover that they are infected. Following diagnosis, new challenges arise in their emotional lives, an issue which has received little attention in the literature. This study interviewed 1068 women living with HIV/AIDS using a questionnaire consisting of both open and closed questions, aimed at describing aspects of their sexual and reproductive lives and how they perceive counseling at Reference Centers in two cities in the State of São Paulo, where they have access to free antiretroviral therapy. Of the women with stable sexual partners, 63% used condoms in all their sexual relations, or three times the national average; 43% of the partners were HIV-negative and 14% had unknown serological status; 73% of the women had children and 15% were considering becoming pregnant. Knowledge on mother-to-child transmission was less than expected, and the interviewees complained of limited space and receptiveness for discussing sexuality, especially with regard to their childbearing wishes. Counseling on sexuality should be a continuing process and requires interdisciplinary training for the professional team working in health care services, with an emphasis on sexual and reproductive rights.

Relationship between the iron status of pregnant women and their newborns Relação entre o estado nutricional de ferro de parturientes e seus recémnascidos ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between iron nutritional status of pregnant women and their newborns using a combination of hematological and biochemical parameters for the diagnosis of iron defi ciency. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jundiaí, Southeastern Brazil, in 2000. Venous blood samples collected from 95 pregnant women and from their umbilical cord and used for the determination of complete blood count, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, serum ferritin, zinc protoporphyrin, and transferrin saturation. Women were classifi ed into three groups: anemic, iron defi cient and non-iron defi cient. Statistical analysis included the Tukey-HSD test, Pearson's correlation coeffi cient and multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Among pregnant women, 19% were anemic (97.9% mildly anemic and 2.1% moderately anemic) and 30.5% were iron defi cient. No signifi cant difference was seen in mean values of any parameter studied between newborns in the three groups (p>0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed weak association between neonatal and maternal parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The iron nutritional status of pregnant women with iron defi ciency or mild anemia does not seem to have a signifi cant impact on the iron levels of their children.

To determine the precision and agreement of the hemoglobin (Hb) measurements in capillary and venous blood samples by the HemoCue  and an automated counter. Hb was determined by both equipaments in blood samples of 29 pregnant women. The HemoCue  showed low repeatability of Hb measurements in duplicate in capillary (CR=0.53 g/dL, CV=13.6%) and venous blood (CR=0.53 g/dL, CV=13.6%). Hb measurements in capillary blood were higher than those in venous blood (12.4 and 11.7 g/dL, respectively; p<0.05). There was high agreement between Hb in capillary blood by the HemoCue  and in venous blood by the counter (r icc =0.86; p<0.01), and also between the diagnosis of anemia by both equipments (k=0.81; p<0.01). The HemoCue  seems to be more appropriate for capillary blood and require training of the measurers. (12,4 e 11,7 g/ dL, respectivamente; p<0,05 =0,86; p<0,01), bem como entre os diagnósticos de anemia realizados nos dois equipamentos (k=0,81; p<0,01). O HemoCue  parece ser mais apropriado para análise de Hb em sangue capilar, mas é necessário um treinamento dos analisadores. Resumo