<b>Pregnants infected with HIV: facing and perception of a new reality</b> - DOI: 10.4025/cienccuidsaude.v7i2.5005

Abstract

All over the world it is experienced an increase in the number of cases of HIV/Aids in women, what has vertical transmission as a consequence. The Health Ministry recommended the doing of anti-HIV exam in the prenatal routine, aiming the quimioprofilaxy in HIV-positive women and their babies. We objectified to analyze the perceptions and the way pregnants face the positive result of anti-HIV test. It is a descriptive research, with pregnants whose serological status discovery occurred during pregnancy. This collection of the data was during the months of march and april in 2006 and involved six women that was being attended in a prenatal program in one of the hospitals that is a reference for pregnant infected women by HIV in Fortaleza, Ceará. It was used the thematic oral story for data collection and analysis was concentrated in the experiences lived and in the diagnosis facing. The pregnant developed different ways to face the new reality imposed by the positive result. The denying and the fear to transmit the virus to the baby are the first reactions, later, the pregnants demonstrated positive attitudes. Family and the emotional support given by professionals helped in the facing of the positive result, minimizing anguish, fear and contributed to the acceptance of seropositivity. We concluded theta the positive result for HIV during pregnancy brings great suffering to pregnants and that it is necessary that professionals provide a systematic emotional support by means of continuous couselling.