Contraceptive knowledge and practice among HIV-positive women receiving antiretroviral therapy at a district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the knowledge and use of contraceptives by HIV-positive women attending an ART clinic.Design: Observational descriptive cross-sectional study.Setting and subjects: Many human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive South African women fall pregnant each year while receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). In 2010, 2 056 women of childbearing age attended the ART clinic at a district hospital south of Durban. Between October 2010 and June 2011, data were collected using a validated questionnaire from 400 women on their contraceptive knowledge and use. Women over 18 years of age who consented to participate, and who had been receiving ART for more than a month, were eligible for participation in the study.Outcome measures: Contraceptive knowledge and use.Results: All participants had received counselling on male condom use. The majority of HIV-positive women receiving ART preferred the male condom as their contraception of choice. Knowledge of male condoms was excellent, but only 66% of the study group used condoms, and just over 50% used a dual method of contraception (male condoms plus another contraceptive method). While 97% of participants were knowledgeable about injectable contraception, only 40% used the latter as a form of contraception. Ninety-two per cent of the participants reported recent sexual activity, 14% had fallen pregnant while receiving ART, and 64% planned on having a child in the future. Conclusion:The low use of dual contraception was a cause for concern. Recommendations include the integration of family planning services into HIV care at all ART sites. This should promote proper fertility management for women receiving ART.Peer reviewed.

Factors associated with uptake of dual contraception among HIV-infected women in Bungoma County, Kenya: a cross-sectional study

“…Information on dual contraception was obtained during interactions with health providers and peer counsellors or mentor-mothers at PMTCT clinic visits and support groups. Similar findings were reported in South Africa, where knowledge about condoms was associated with condom use [ 38 ] and Nigeria, where dual contraceptive use was determined by the level of awareness on dual method. However, other studies have reported thatsocio-cultural factors influenced whether or not HIV-infected women would practice dual contraception despite being aware of the importance of dual contraception [ 39 , 40 ].…”

Patterns and predictors of contraceptive usage among HIV-positive women of reproductive age attending PMTCT/ART clinics in Ogbomoso, Nigeria

“…The most common form of contraception use by the respondents in the study was condom, femidom in 33.6 % of cases; the findings are consistent with other studies in HIV Clinics where condom was used due to easy accessibility and frequent exposure to counseling promoting condom use (16,20). Intra uterine contraceptive device (IUCD) was used by 30.3 % of the women, 29.4% used injectable contraceptives, 4.2 % used natural method of family planning while 2.5 % used pills, this contrasted studies done where majority of the respondents were using condom (21-23) and were using it consistently which may be due the fact that condoms are the most common form of contraception available (24).…”