The Reproductive Healthcare Disparities Among Women Living with HIV in Asian Countries

Background

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus is a chronic condition that attacks the immune system, and is most commonly transmitted via sexual intercourse or shared injection equipment. Although it is less common for pregnant HIV positive women to transmit the virus to their baby, their chances are still high ,particularly, if they live in developing countries who lack antiretroviral treatments- a triple drug antiviral therapy that suppresses the virus over time (ART). Women who fail to achieve viral surpression at the time of their delivery may have to undergo a Caesarean delivery which could cause additional health complications. Globally, In 2016, an estimated 17.8 million women over the age of 15 were diagnosed with HIV, and in 2018, roughly 82 percent of pregnant women who have HIV had access to ART . In many developing countries, however, their access to HIV treatments is often limited and reproductive healthcare is known to be inequitable, or not up to par with noteworthy standards. Women living with HIV are also disproportionately exposed to intersecting forms of stigma and bigotry from healthcare professionals or their non- HIV counterparts.