Association Between Unplanned Pregnancy and HIV Seropositivity Disclosure to Marital/Cohabitating Partner Among Post-natal Women in Lusaka, Zambia

Background: Disclosure of a positive HIV result to partner is an important step towards prevention of infection, early diagnosis and optimum care especially in the context of PMTCT. Little is known about the disclosure patterns of postnatal women in relation to planning status of index pregnancy. This study explored this aspect.Objectives: To determine any association between unplanned pregnancy and HIV seropositivity disclosure to stable partner among postnatal women in Lusaka.Design: Using a cross-sectional study design the disclosure patterns of 100 postnatal women with unplanned pregnancies were compared to a similar group of 100 women with planned pregnancies.Results: The crude OR for disclosure of a positive HIV result to partner (planned pregnancy/unplanned pregnancy) was 1.839 (CI= 1.002-3.372). After adjusting for participant and partner's feelings after pregnancy discovery, partner's occupation, condom use in the relationship and length of stay with partner this OR was 2.835 (CI=0.690 -11.643). 66.7% of those that reported that their partners had worries, depression or sadness after disclosure had unplanned pregnancies whereas 83.3% of those that expressed no emotions had planned pregnancies.Conclusions: Possibility of antenatal HIV seropositivity disclosure to partner is the same whether the pregnancy is planned or not. Unplanned pregnancy is associated with more negative reactions by partner after disclosure