Preconception and Contraceptive Care for Women Living with HIV

Table 2

Components of preconception counseling for women living with HIV.

Current and future desires and plans to have children by woman, her partner and family and desired timing of pregnancy
Contraceptive options (for women who do not wish to become pregnant or who wish to delay pregnancy for better birth spacing or while health or nonhealth-related issues are managed)
Effect of HIV and ARVs on pregnancy course and outcomes
Effect of non-HIV-related factors on pregnancy and pregnancy outcome: for example, age, drug use, other medical conditions
Optimization of maternal health status and timing of pregnancy
Counseling on safer sexual practices and other counseling on healthy living (smoking cessation, eliminating alcohol, treatment for illicit drug use)
Options for conception that decrease risk of HIV transmission to an HIV-uninfected partner
Perinatal HIV transmission and PMTCT: the role of ARVs for mother and baby, mode of delivery, avoidance of breastfeeding, infant ARV prophylaxis
Long-term care plans, including advance directives and care of children if one or both parents were to become ill or die