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Sexuality, childbirth and supportive conditions in women living with HIV in Sweden
University of Borås, Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare.
2023 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Sustainable development
According to the author(s), the content of this publication falls within the area of sustainable development.
Abstract [en]

Objectives: HIV can complicate sexuality, pregnancy, and childbirth for women living with HIV (WLHIV). Despite that effective antiretroviral treatment has eliminated the risk of sexual transmission (undetectable equals untransmittable (U=U)), there is still expressed uncertainty of risks of transmitting HIV to a sexual partner or a child. Also, structural barriers such as poverty, HIV-related stigma, and violence can challenge wellbeing related to sexuality and childbirth. There is a need for more knowledge about what kind of support WLHIV need. The aim of this study was to identify supportive conditions related to sexuality and childbirth in WLHIV in Sweden.Method: A phenomenological reflective lifeworld research approach was used. Transcribed interviews with 18 women living with HIV in Sweden were analyzed. Results: When living with HIV, “feeling safe with oneself and in relationships with others” is essential for wellbeing related to sexuality and childbirth for WLHIV. When feeling safe, self-esteem gets stronger, leading to feeling more confident about decisions that fulfill needs and desires related to sexuality, pregnancy, and giving birth. Feeling safe is a condition that can vary with medical and social conditions and depends on the woman’s environment and interactions with others. Conditions that support sexual and perinatal wellbeing are described in four constituents, figure 1. Having good overall physical and mental health is a prerequisite. To take responsibility for one’s own wellbeing can create good conditions for pregnancy, childbirth, and the health of the newborn child. Being in a caring context means that safe arenas evolve where caring meetings and conversations can take place. Different relationships can provide caring contexts, such as relations with others having shared spiritual beliefs, other people living with HIV, a partner, or health care professionals. Having access to high quality information about HIV and risks of transmission is often accessed from healthcare professionals, but other channels such as the Internet, HIV organizations, or other people living with HIV also provide information. Accurate knowledge allows development of a true understanding of eventual risks of transmission to a partner or a baby and contributes to the ability to calculate these risks. Also, to ensure the same rights as other women are important, meaning for example to being offered non-judgmental and fair care.Discussion: The study conclude that there is a need for safe arenas and caring contexts for WLHIV. It requires that all those involved in care of WLHIV constantly need to update their knowledge about HIV to be able to provide high quality information to these women. It is also important that all levels in health care organizations have a human rights-based approach aiming to offer non-judgmental and fair care and to prevent discrimination. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2023.
National Category
Nursing
Research subject
The Human Perspective in Care; The Human Perspective in Care
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-31065OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hb-31065DiVA, id: diva2:1822133
Conference
AIDSImpact 2023, Stockholm Sweden, 12–14 June, 2023.
Available from: 2023-12-21 Created: 2023-12-21 Last updated: 2024-01-16Bibliographically approved

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Carlsson-Lalloo, Ewa

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