DETERMINANTS OF REPEATED PREGNANCY AMONG HIV POSITIVE WOMEN ATTENDING ANTRETROVIRAL TREATMENTS IN GEDEO ZONE PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA,UNMATCHED CASE CONTROL STUDY

Abstract Background: As Antiretroviral treatments improves the health of mothers, repeated pregnancy among HIV infected women become increasing .However, in sub Saharan Africa where family planning among People Living With HIV/AIDS is not widely used, the risk of mortality due to HIV/AIDS increase as the number of pregnancy increases .The desire to have more children among these groups of people in Ethiopia is also increasing. Objective: This study was aimed to assess determinants of repeated Pregnancy among HIV positive Women on Antiretroviral Treatments in Gedeo Zone, public health facility, Southern Ethiopia 2020. Methods and materials: A facility based unmatched case control study was conducted among 76cases (women with repeated pregnancy) and 228controls (women with first pregnancy) since HIV infection for both case and controls and who are on Prevention of Mother toChild Transmission program in the selected health facilities. The participants were selected by simple random sampling technique. Data was collected using face-to face interview. Data was entered by using Epidata3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis purpose.Bivariate logistic regression was used to see the association between one explanatory variable and outcome variable at p value<0.25. Hosmer- Lemeshow method was used to test the model fitness. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify determinant factors which affect the dependent variable. Those variables with adjusted odd ratio and p value < 0.05, at 95%Confidence Interval were declared statistically significant in multivariable analysis. Result: The mean age of cases 25.5 (Standard Deviation: ± 3.6) was less than that of the controls 28 (Standard Deviation: ± 5). Determinants which were found to be associated with repeat pregnancies were history of abortion,[AOR=4.75, 95 %CI (2.13 – 10.57)], low educational attainment [AOR= 4.62,95%CI (1.69-12.67)] ,30-43years of age [AOR=0. 23, 95%CI,(0.10 0.56)], Employment status[AOR=0.19,95%(0.06-0.52)] AOR=0.10,95%CI(0.05 -0.22)]. and urban residence[ Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that repeated pregnancies were more common among HIV-infected women who have history of abortion, low educational attainment. Appropriate reproductive health services to be provided for HIV positive pregnant women who are and treated with ART.