Experiences of Pregnant Women Diagnosed With HIV/AIDS; A Study at Accra Metropolis

ABSTRACT 

Women who test positive for HIV during pregnancy continue to increase in Ghana. The experiences of pregnant women diagnosed with HIV during antenatal clinic visit were explored. The descriptive qualitative design was used to obtain narrative accounts on test experiences, coping strategies and availability of support for HIV positive pregnant women. Respondents were purposively selected from Ridge Hospital in Accra. Required data saturation was attained with a sample size of 10 respondents from in-depth interviews. The interviews were tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. Content analysis of the text data through a systematic classification process of coding and identifying themes and patterns was done concurrently. The major themes that emerged from the data were discovery and diagnosis of HIV in pregnant women, disclosure of status, attitude of midwives, experience of taking antiretroviral drugs, social support and coping strategies. Stigmatisation, rejection, lack of support and unfavourable experiences with midwives and other health professionals was prevalent during antenatal care and labour among pregnant women diagnosed with HIV. The women were unwilling to disclose their status because of the negative outcomes. It is imperative that prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV strategy place emphasis on psychosocial support for HIV positive pregnant women to enhance their quality of life.