Reproductive decisions of women at risk for acquiring HIV infection

Approximately 1 to 1.5 million people in the United States are infected with HIV. The incidence of HIV is increasing among women and children. Little information exists regarding the determinants of reproductive decisions of women at risk of HIV infection. This study investigated the correlates of reproductive decisions using data from the National AIDS Demonstration and Research Projects funded by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse. Subjects for this study were 1,921 women. HIV serostatus, AIDS knowledge, and perceived risk for getting AIDS were not associated with the reproductive decisions. Major correlates of reproductive decisions were age, ethnicity, and the number of children living with the women. Pregnancy, 6 months after the baseline interview, was associated with intention to become pregnant at baseline. In addition age and education level were significant predictors of self-reported pregnancy at follow-up.