Contraceptive use among HIV infected women attending comprehensive care centre

Abstract

Objective: To determine contraceptive use among HIV infected women attending Comprehensive Care Centre at Kenyatta National Hospital. Design: Hospital based cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting: Comprehensive Care Centre (CCC), Kenyatta National Hospital. Subjects: The study group was non-pregnant HIV positive women on follow up at the CCC. A total of 94 HIV infected women were interviewed between May 2006 and August 2006 through a pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire. Consecutive women willing to participate in the study were interviewed. Main outcome measures: Current contraceptive use, contraceptive methods, source of contraception, reproductive intention and unmet need of family planning. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 34 years, 47.9% were married, all had formal education and 74.6% were employed. Eighty six percent of the respondents did not have reproduction intentions in the next two years; however, only 44.2% of the respondents were using contraception. Condoms were the most popular (81.5%) contraceptive method. Female condom was used by 10.5% of the respondents. Norplant was the only long term contraceptive method and was used by only 2.6%. Dual method of contraception was practiced by 13.5% of the respondents. Majority of the respondents obtained contraceptives from private sector (42.9%) with less than 10% getting them from CCC. The unmet need for family planning among the study group was 30%. Marital status and regular sexual partner were significantly associated with contraceptive use. Conclusion: Although majority of respondents did not have reproduction intentions in the next two years, use of contraception was low with only 44% being on a method. Use of long term contraceptive methods was low among respondents. Majority of the respondents obtained contraceptives away from CCC. The unmet need for family planning was high at 30%.