Researcher calls for improved reproductive care for women with HIV
A researcher at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Dr Anire Chima-Oduko, has highlighted the urgent need for better reproductive health services for women living with HIV. She pointed out significant gaps in access, quality of care, and contraceptive use, which contribute to high rates of unintended pregnancies. The findings, co-researched with Prof Mobolanle Balogun, show that while awareness of contraception is high, actual usage remains low. Dr Chima-Oduko emphasized that improving provider communication and service delivery is crucial for better outcomes.
Highlights
- Dr Anire Chima-Oduko reported that although 97% of women living with HIV have heard of contraception, only 26.8% are current users.
- The study found that factors such as the number of children, partner’s HIV status, and access to family planning services influence contraceptive use.
- Poor provider-client communication and inadequate counselling were identified as major barriers to contraceptive uptake.
- Systemic issues like limited access, misinformation, and inconsistent quality of care persist even in tertiary facilities.
- Dr Chima-Oduko recommended a multi-level approach, including better access to family planning, enhanced counselling, and integrating reproductive health services with HIV care.
