Women's Reproductive Health Security and HIV/AIDS in India

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Women's Reproductive Health Security and HIV/AIDS in India

EPW Special Article, September 27, 2003

(Abstract)The rate of infection with HIV among women is increasing. This has

significant implications for the reproductive health of women in India. The

present configuration of national family planning services is not likely to

bring about widespread condom use, which would protect women from HIV. Limited

access by women, especially the poor, to health care in general means that women

who are HIV positive are at an additional disadvantage. Absence of accessible

voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services will impair the effectiveness

of HIV control programme in India.

HIV positive women in India face serious problems with respect to marriage,

sexuality, and childbearing and as the epidemic spreads these will impact on the

wider society. Research studies are required in the field of mother to child

transmission (MTCT) of HIV, particularly through breastfeeding, in the Indian

context. While social initiatives such as the empowerment of women are required

to provide reproductive health security to women, a comprehensive

confidential voluntary counselling and testing programme is urgently needed.

Saseendran Pallikadavath, R Stones

Address for correspondence:sasee61@...

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