Does HIV Status Affect Utilization of Maternal Care Services among Women in India: An Analysis of NFHS 2005-2006

Abstract

The objective of the study is to understand the relationship between HIV status, fertility and utilisa-tion of maternal care services in India using the NFHS 2005-2006 data. The mean number of children ever born (a measure of fertility) is substantially higher among HIV-negative women than among the HIV-positive women (2.8 and 2.1 respectively). Ten-year age specific fertility rates (ASFR) were calculated, there is no noticeable difference in pattern of ASFR between HIV-positive and HIV-negative category of women observed though the ASFRs were substantially lower among the HIV-positive women. The total fertility rate (TFR) among HIV-positive women (0.84) is substantially lower at one third of the TFR among HIV-negative women (2.78). The proportion of HIV-positive pregnant women utilising ANC services is 92 percent compared to 78 percent among HIV-negative women, who have alive birth during the 5-year preceding the survey. Similarly, the proportion of HIV-positive women (67%) delivering their babies in an institution is also much higher than among HIV-negative women (40%). This study concludes that the effort of the government to integrate ART services with maternity care services is likely to have benefited the HIV positive mothers.