       Document 0980
 DOCN  M9620980
 TI    Unconventional conceptions and HIV.
 DT    9602
 AU    Macaulay L; Kitzinger J; Green G; Wight D; Medical Research Council
       Medical Sociology Unit, Glasgow, UK.
 SO    AIDS Care. 1995;7(3):261-76. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/96067996
 AB    The condom is widely recommended as the principal method for preventing
       HIV transmission, but such advice obviously does not apply to women who
       are seeking to become pregnant. In this sense, 'safer sex' is
       incompatible with reproduction. Existing research into HIV transmission
       has examined the choices made by those wishing to conceive within a
       sexual relationship; such research shows that HIV is not a highly
       significant factor in their decision-making processes. This study aims
       to extend the debate by exploring the decision-making processes of women
       seeking to become pregnant with donated sperm. In particular, we focus
       on women outside the fertility clinic system who do not have access to
       sperm screened for HIV to see whether HIV is a significant factor in
       these women's decisions. The study involved in-depth interviews with 20
       women (14 lesbians, one bisexual and five heterosexuals) recruited
       through informal networking and snowball sampling. HIV was a salient
       concern for our sample, largely because of their contacts with gay men,
       but nonetheless most of these women took some risks. On the one hand,
       the conscious deliberations necessary to conceive through
       self-insemination facilitated risk reduction, as did factors such as
       'stranger-danger'. On the other hand, factors such as the scarcity of
       suitable sperm donors and the women's own feelings of gratitude and
       loyalty to their donors mitigated against their requesting that their
       donor take an HIV test. This study highlights the need to provide
       information for women seeking self-insemination, and to remove
       restrictions on access to fertility clinics, in order to reduce their
       risk of HIV infection and subsequent vertical transmission.
 DE    Adult  AIDS Serodiagnosis/PSYCHOLOGY  *Bisexuality/PSYCHOLOGY  Female
       Health Policy  *Homosexuality, Female  Homosexuality, Male  Human  HIV
       Infections/PREVENTION & CONTROL/PSYCHOLOGY/*TRANSMISSION  Infant,
       Newborn  Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous/PSYCHOLOGY  *Knowledge,
       Attitudes, Practice  Male  Pregnancy  Pregnancy Complications,
       Infectious/*PREVENTION & CONTROL/  PSYCHOLOGY  Risk Factors  Support,
       Non-U.S. Gov't  *Tissue Donors/PSYCHOLOGY  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

