According to an Ohio State University study, around one in four women living with HIV want to become pregnant, reports Asian News International (ANI)/Thaindian News (thaindian.com, 2/26). In addition, researchers found that nearly 40 percent of positive women aged 30 and younger expressed interest in bearing children, while 11 percent of women over 30 in the study wanted to become pregnant.

These findings were part of a larger study on women’s HIV disclosure decisions and mental health. As part of that study, OSU researchers asked 74 women with HIV about their desire to have children based on factors such as fear of transmission to their child or adverse effects on their own health.

ANI also reports that positive women with the most negative self-image following their diagnosis were also the least likely to want to become pregnant.