The Childbirth Experiences of Pregnant Women Living with HIV Virus: Scoping Review

• Main Authors: Andréa Paula de Azevedo (Author), Jorge Fonte de Rezende Filho (Author), Cristina Barroso Hofer (Author), Francisca Rego (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.3390/children11060743; 2227-9067
• Keywords: childbirth; experience; pregnant women; HIV; scoping review; Pediatrics; RJ1-570
• Source: Children, Vol 11, Iss 6, p 743 (2024)

OBJECTIVE: Understand and explore the childbirth experiences of pregnant women living with HIV (PWLWHIV). With the advent of several measures to decrease the intrapartum HIV infection and a strong emphasis on the humanization of childbirth, there is a growing focus on providing positive childbirth experiences for pregnant women. Indeed, a positive childbirth experience is even more important in the group of pregnant women living with HIV (PWLWHIV) as it plays a pivotal role in enhancing the mother's adherence to her postpartum treatment and the newborn's engagement in Infectious Disease services. METHODOLOGY: A scoping review was conducted. Searches were performed on databases, such as MEDLINE, PUBMED, WEB OF SCIENCE and Cochrane Library, using the following keywords: childbirth, birth, parturition, HIV, humaniz*, perceived safety, experience, maternal satisfaction, healthcare professional and midwi*. Articles meeting pre-established criteria were selected within the timeframe of 2013 to 2023 for inclusion in the review. RESULTS: Out of a total of 2,340,391 articles, 4 were chosen based on our defined criteria. Three primary themes emerged from the selected articles: the assessment of childbirth experience quality, vulnerability and autonomy. CONCLUSIONS: The four studies identified had a small sample size and were not adequately conducted with a specific focus on studying the childbirth experience of pregnant women living with HIV (PWLWHIV). This scoping review revealed a gap in the existing literature, indicating a need for further research and clarification in the identified area.