Fertility Desire and Reproductive Health Care Needs of Men and Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nekemte, East Wollega, Ethiopia

Understanding fertility desire and reproductive health care needs of HIV positive men and women in the era of better access to antiretroviral therapy and improved health status is important in planning and organizing appropriate health services. To assess the fertility desire and reproductive health care needs of men and women living with HIV/AIDS in Nekemte town, East Wollega, Ethiopia. A facility based comparative cross was conducted among PLHIV both men and women from February to March 2010 on a total sample of 592 respondents in Nekemte town complimented by an in-depth interview. Men had higher desire to have a child than women (40.5% versus 30.7%). Men and women who were sexually active in the six months prior to survey were 78.4% and 61.8% respectively. Being male CI: 1.1-2.8), having no living child (AOR: 13.1, 95%CI: 5.3 living children (AOR: 4.2, 95%CI: 2.2-8.0), having partner desiring child (AOR: 15.4, 95%CI: 9.2-25.8), CD4 count ≥200 (AOR: 2.0, 95%CI: associated with fertility desire. Health care delivery should consider the desire for children by men and women living with HIV/AIDS in order to avert preventable untoward and related consequences.