Mila Castillo
Co-author: Jose Narciso Melchor C. Sescon, MD FPOGS

TO BE OR NOT TO BE PREGNANT:
A CHOICE I MAKE IN MY LIFE: A PHIVS PERSPECTIVES

ISSUES/FACTS:

• Maternal and child transmissions have been reduced from 25% to 8% with the use of AZT alone.
• Nevirapine provides almost 8% and is cost effective (US$ 4.0)
• If a cesarean section is done, maternal to child transmission is lessened to 2%.
• The desire of a PHIV to get pregnant and give birth to a child is a choice I made.

PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED:

• Unavailability of AZT medicine in the Philippines

DISCUSSION:

Living with the virus, I have learned to cope and become productive and courageous. This has reassured me that there is life after being HIV positive. After getting married and bearing a child, I have cherished life more than ever. Having a partner who loves me is not just enough to call us a family. A child is a symbol of a love that we share, growing more intense each day - a symbol of positive living. My child is my reason for living no matter what people say about the situation I am in. This is the choice that I made and I have no regrets about it. People say that I made the wrong choice. But to me this does not matter. What is important is that I made a decision which people should respect more than ever.

CONCLUSION:

• Every individual has their rights. All of us were born with inherent human rights. Nobody can take that away from anyone.
• All Positive Women should fight for their reproductive health rights.