Contraceptives Count for HIV Prevention

As with all women and couples, women and men living with HIV or AIDS have the right to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. Research shows that the reproductive patterns of women living with HIV or AIDS are similar to those of HIV-negative women.²⁶¹ Many women living with HIV or AIDS want to have more children and need voluntary family planning services to provide counseling on reversible contraceptive methods and on how to prevent vertical transmission of HIV. If they are sero-negative, women may also need information on how to reduce the likelihood of transmission to their husband or sexual partner. Family planning services are also needed for women living with HIV or AIDS who decide to prevent or delay pregnancy.

The contribution of family planning toward preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) cannot be ignored. A 2003 study found that by adding family planning to PMTCT services in 14 high prevalence countries, more than 150,000 unintended pregnancies were averted, the number of child infections averted nearly doubled and the number of child deaths averted nearly quadrupled.262 For the same cost as treatment with antiretroviral drugs to prevent MTCT, contraceptive use can avert nearly 30 percent more unintended HIV-positive births,263 as well as much human suffering. It is estimated that current levels of contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa are already preventing 22 percent of unintended HIV-positive births.264 However, very high levels of unmet need for family planning persist in some of the countries that are most affected by HIV [see Table 1: Countries with High HIV Prevalence and High Unmet Need for FP].

Please see the Appendix for this section's end notes.