Effect of HIV/AIDS on fertility: historical evidence from South Africa’s women educators
Reproductive Health
32
Issue: 2
(10 - 2018)
Context/Background: The HIV/AIDS epidemic remains a public health challenge. Globally, South
Africa ranks second in HIV prevalence and has the second lowest fertility rate in sub-Saharan Africa.
The effect of HIV/AIDS on fertility is contentious, although it is often assumed in population projections
that HIV/AIDS reduces fertility. This study examines the effect of HIV/AIDS on the probability of
getting pregnant among South Africa’s educators controlling for confounders.
Data Source and Methods: The data consisted of a representative sample of educators in public
schools in South Africa in 2004. Statistical analysis utilized multivariate logistic regression.
Results: Controlling for confounders, HIV positive women educators aged |8-34 had higher odds of
being pregnant in the preceding |2 months compared with HIV negative women educators in the same
age group.
Conclusion: There was no evidence from this study that HIV positive women were less likely to be
pregnant than HIV negative women.
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, fertility, educators, pregnancy status, South Africa.
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