[Dilemmas and conflitcs of being a mother with HIV/AIDS]

Marli Teresinha Gimeniz Galvão1, Gilmara Holanda da Cunha, Márcia Maria Tavares Machado

  • 1Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE.

This study aimed to apprehend the dilemmas and conflicts revealed by women infected with HIV/Aids who got pregnant. This qualitative study involved eight women attended at an outpatient clinic in Fortaleza-CE. Through interviews, it was observed that the women go through their pregnancy with expectations about their child's serological status; after birth, they live with uncertainties and overprotect the child. They report on inadequate ways of communicating the diagnosis and lack of advice about pregnancy in cases of HIV. These women transform the desire of motherhood into reality. According to them, dealing with a child with the possibility of catching HIV goes beyond their capacity. In conclusion, it is essential to offer emotional and social support to these women, independently of the phase in life they are in.

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