HIV positive women prefer abortions

[Guest guest]

HIV positive women prefer abortions

By Priya Yadav Sunday, 13 May 2001

CHANDIGARH: The number of HIV infected women and children in the

country is silently growing, but the social support system continues

to be ineffective.

More than the personal trauma, that of a death sentence being served

on them, many young HIV infected women are taking the decision to

terminate their pregnancies rather than " making the young one go

through the hell we have to suffer " .

Sadhna, married five years ago, is on the family way for the second

time. For this 27 year-old, it is not an occasion to celebrate or

look forward to the ``bundle of joy''. Both Sadhna and her husband

Harish (not their real names) are HIV positive and have already lost

a three-year-old child to the virus - a fact that has compelled the

couple to think of going in for abortion.

``I have no right to bring an innocent one into this world knowing

well that he will have to undergo the pain of living as I am

suffering. When nobody wants to know you, meet you, talk to you and

is mortally scared of sharing space with you - one knows what social

ostracism is. The baby will always be an unwanted one by the society,

will have no happy future whatsoever - health, academics, growth,

social life all this will be non-existent for him. I think it is a

crime to give birth in such a miserable existence,'' Sadhna told the

Times of India News Service while waiting to see a doctor in PGI's

special clinic for HIV patients.

Parents who are themselves HIV positive and have already passed the

virus on to their children are facing the problem of making

arrangements for their progeny ``after they are gone''. As 30 year-

old Gurdip Kaur (name changed) who has two children, aged one year

and five years, with HIV infection says, ``Nobody in the family is

willing to take care of these children even while we are around doing

the rounds of hospitals. The fact that no one will even look at them,

let alone feed them or take care of them once the parents perish, is

quite clear. They will be reduced to mere nothings awaiting their

death - surely no parent wants this kind of a life for their

children, if this can be called a living.''

Doctors point out that in most of the recent cases, there has been a

growing tendency to opt for medical termination of pregnancy rather

than bearing the child. Dr Surjeet Singh, department of internal

medicine PGI who holds the special HIV clinic along with Dr Archana

Sood says, ``The rate of mother to child transmission is as high as

43 per cent. This may take place during pregnancy, during the process

of child birth or post-delivery through breast feeding. The use of

anti-HIV drugs, a costly therapy, just prior to and during delivery

and continuing the same for the new born dramatically reduces the

chances of transmission. But the risk of the disease being passed on

is there and many young couples are opting not to take it.''

Sushma (name changed) is another victim of circumstances who does the

rounds of the institute almost every week to get treatment for her

HIV infection. For her, the nuptial knot has spelt death, passed on

to her by husband, bearing of a child against her will and seeing the

young one grow up to three years of age and die in front of her. Such

was the trauma that she opted for vasectomy - ``That is the only way

I can escape from carrying a baby for which may be even the Almighty

will not forgive me. I can't give birth to a child whose future has

only curses, ill will and death,'' says Sushma.

How does it feel to know that your days are numbered? Kulwinder Kaur,

a HIV positive patient who comes all the way from Ganganagar in

Rajasthan to PGI to attend the clinic every fortnight says, ``Given

family support and sympathy from the society, it would not have been

very hard to cope with personal trauma. But even in the total absence

of these essentials one has to learn to overlook what is not there -

I know I can't afford to let time pass by thinking there is too

little of it.'' Kulwinder's wrath is more against doctors and medical

men than towards the common man. ``What hurts the most is not the

isolation by people around you who can be forgiven as victims of

ignorance. But back in Ganganager I was turned out of a hospital by

the doctor immediately after he got to know I am HIV positive. I had

complained to the chief medical health officer but nothing ever came

out of it - as usual there is no one to hear us out,'' says Kulwinder.

http://www.timesofindia.com/130501/13mchd1.htm

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum memebers,

I disagree to Priya Yadav's article in Times of India.

Most of the HIV positive women wants more options to abortion. Few go for it as

no choice option, some due to influence of good counseling. We have 2 cases

when to be mothers took option of abortion, but the girls did became pregnant

again in 3 months and this time both decides to continue pregnancy due to

various reasons, our doctor planned them to put on ARV to reduce Mother to child

transmission

Rupal

Rotary club of BNW VTC.

E-mail: <rashmis@...>