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| This is the essay series by women living with HIV. The authors in Japan,
Cambodia, Portugal and the Philippines, write about episodes and the
feelings of their daily lives. |
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| Pregnancy, delivery, and child bearing / Mony |
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 Welcome to my second essay on pregnancy, delivery, and child bearing. Hope you will enjoy it and welcome for any comment.
Various treaties have been signed by governments to safeguard the rights of people, rights to highest attainable standard of health. However, women, especially, HIV women have very low power or do not have any choice to make on own decision on sexuality and reproductive health. We usually get pressure from our families, communities, and health care providers to have or not have children.
Women cry and shout everyday for justice and promise made by their government everyday, but sometime the more we talk the more we hurt and violate. We were explained to have children not good at all for health and hardship with feeding practice while the prevention mother to child transmission (PMTCT) program are promoting.
Let hear one of a sad story from Linda a penname, our peer in Asia region.
“Linda is 29, diagnosis in 1999. She met her second HIV husband in 2003 at the clinic. A year later, they made up the mind to be a partner in a scheme and wished for a baby. They consulted with doctor and counselor. They introduced her to PMTCT program. The couple undoubtedly visited there and hoped their child will safe. They obeyed any rule recommended by the health staff but unfortunately their baby infected HIV during the delivery due to the careless of the staff. Linda did not want to blame them but she cannot control. She believed, the staff should be proper trained and do not discriminate on her. She urges for a high standard with quality service provision to save the live of HIV women’s baby”.
Now I would like to bring your attention to hear another story from Pich, 35 year-old with three babies. Her husband wanted her to produce a fourth child for him even she refused, as their living is poor. Commonly, breast feeding is good for baby’s health but because she is HIV positive, so she cannot practice it. She receives a formula powder milk support for six months from the home-base care provider. Her child looked a bit healthy but skinny because of none-enough feeding. She claimed for further support but was denied.
After hearing these two stories, we learned many of us have a deep sense of injustice and unfair treated. We had a lot of anger and fear but there was nothing we could do? I would like to leave this question to the audiences? |
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