Abstract:
Background: -Most couples living with HIV/AIDS are of child bearing age and face difficult
choices concerning their sexuality and child bearing. Couple’s choices may be affected by direct
or indirect social economic and cultural factors as well as medical factors. However, little is
known about the fertility desire preferences of PLWHA in Ethiopia in genera and Fitche in
particular.
Objectives: -To assess fertility desire and associated factors among PLWHA attending ART in
Fitche Hospital, North Shoa Zone, Oromiya, Ethiopia 2013.
Methods: Facility based cross-sectional study design was employed on 340 PLWHA attending
Fitche Hospital ART clinic from February21-April 20th, 2013. The study participants were
selected using simple random sampling technique. A pre- tested semi-structured questionnaire
was used to collect data and analyzed using SPSS Version 16.0. Qualitative data was collected
from key informants by in-depth interview using interview guide and triangulated with
quantitative result.
Result: Of all respondents majority 214 (62.9%) were females and 144 (42.4%) were between
30-39 years and educational status 184(54.1%) were attended primary to secondary school.
The prevalence of fertility desire of PLWHA receiving care in Fitche Hospital was 133(39.1%)
of whom 80(37.4%) were females and 53(42.06%) were males.
The indentified factors associated with fertility desired were:- Age from 18-29 years and 30-
39years, duration stayed with partner/marital length, having no biological living children and 1
to 3 children, faced community pressure for having children, partner fertility desire, duration of
time HIV-diagnosis ≤1 years, disclosed HIV-serostatus to partner and partner sero-difference.
Conclusion and Recommendation: Study revealed that 39.1% of PLWHA have fertility desire
currently or in the near future with significant predictors of age, marital length, have fewer or no
living children, partner fertility desire, community pressure, duration of HIV-diagnosis,
discordant HIV-test and disclose HIV-serostatus to partner. Therefore, Policy makers and
Ministry of Health need to consider and plan for the implications of increased numbers of
PLWHA who may choose to have children and should give greater emphases to address
PLWHA’s fertility issues in more comprehensive manner.
