Women’s and Health Care Providers’ Knowledge and Tolerances of Risk for HIV Treatment During Pregnancy

Overview

The study objectives were:

1. To describe the knowledge and understanding of HIV healthcare providers and national managers/policymakers with regard to:
   a. Side effects and maternal and fetal risk factors of various HIV medications (including DTG and efavirenz [EFV]-based first-line treatment options)
   b. The extent to which health care providers are counseling women and conveying the risks and benefits of DTG
   c. Views on the importance of choice of women in selecting their regimen in the face of potential side effects or drug-related fetal risks
   d. Their views on the possibility of providing consistent reliable contraception and information to women of reproductive age to enable them to make informed decisions regarding ARV choice and pregnancy
2. To describe the knowledge and views of HIV-positive women (pregnant or of reproductive age) with regard to:
   a. HIV treatment options, side effects, and maternal and fetal risk factors
   b. Feasibility of accessing and utilizing consistent reliable contraception and contraceptive preferences
   c. Perceived risks and benefits of and preferences for or concerns about different ART options, especially with regards to risks and benefits during pregnancy