Birth in the Age of AIDS Women, Reproduction, and HIV/AIDS in India [Hardcover]

Birth in the Age of AIDSis a vivid and poignant portrayal of the experiences of HIV-positive women in India during pregnancy, birth, and motherhood at the beginning of the 21st century. The government of India, together with global health organizations, established an important public health initiative to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child. While this program, which targets poor women attending public maternity hospitals, has improved health outcomes for infants, it has resulted in sometimes devastatingly negative consequences for poor, young mothers because these women are being tested for HIV in far greater numbers than their male spouses and are often blamed for bringing this highly stigmatized disease into the family.Based on research conducted by the author in India, this book chronicles the experiences of women from the point of their decisions about whether to accept HIV testing, through their decisions about whether or not to continue with the birth if they test HIV-positive, their birthing experiences in hospitals, decisions and practices surrounding breast-feeding vs. bottle-feeding, and their hopes and fears for the future of their children. Birth in the Age of AIDSbrings out the roles of policy and network activism in supporting pregnant HIV-positive women. This support structure has helped them deal with cultural stigmatization and gender inequalities and seek social justice. Lucidly documented research findings along with discussion on policy insights make this book an important reading for all who are directly or indirectly engaged in the field of reproductive and child health. By sharing these women's experiences in their own words, [Van Hollen's] work addresses a critical gap in what we (think we) know about HIV and AIDS . . .Birth in the Age of AIDSis a quick, compelling read that will appeal to readers working in a number of related fields . . . [Van Hollen] hints at the delicate balance advocates have to strike inl(