Abstract:
Background: Desire to have more children are a normal phenomenon in many developing countries
including Ethiopia .The Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome prevalence recently in Harar was highest next to Addis Ababa and Gambela and many of
them are reproductive age group female who may have concerns on their fertility desire Despite the
overwhelming effects of HIV on fetus and the growing number of women living with HIV/AIDS, the
choice to have children among HIV-infected people may additionally increase. the issues of
fertility desire.
This study aimed to assess fertility desires and associated factors among HIV positive
reproductive-age women attending ART clinics at Hiwotfana Hospital eastern Ethiopia
Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted on reproductive-age
womenattending the ART clinics at Hiwotfana comprehensive specialized University Hospital
from August 1/2021 to March 10/2022 Four hundred and twelve (412) study participants
were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Data was collected by using
interviewer-administered pre-tested structured questionnaires. The collected data was entered
into EPI data version 3.1 software and then was exported to Stata software version 14for
cleaning and data analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify
associated factors at p<0.05 were considered significant value with a 95% confidence level.
Result: The findings indicated that 44.2% (95% CI; 39.62%, 48. 92%).of the participants
reported they had the desire to have children in the future. Variables such as women in the
age group of 25–34 years (AOR= 2.10, 95% CI; 1.32, 4.35), having experienced of
abortion(AOR=1.48,95%CI;1.35,2.21), married women (AOR=2.23, 95% CI; 2.06, 7.12) and
Women with partner participate on the study (AOR=2.82, 95% CI; 1.42, 9.43) had a positive
association with the outcome variable, whereas, having number of a live children (AOR=.24,
95% CI; 0.08, 0.59). had a negative association with fertility desire
Conclusion and Recommendations: The proportion of HIV-positive reproductive age women
with desire for children was high.
programmers and policy- makers throughout the region and consider the effects of these
factors on HIV-positive women, as they develop intervention
