Positive Life NSW

Women's stories of pregnancy, parenting and living with HIV

If I'm HIV positive, what are the chances of having an HIV negative baby? Should I start HIV treatments before I try to get pregnant? Should I have a Caesarian? Will I be treated differently by hospital staff? These are just a few of the questions examined in Common Threads , a new book which brings together the experiences and choices of pregnancy and motherhood for 34 HIV positive women in their own words. The stories were drawn from interviews Karalyn McDonald conducted with women while researching her PhD thesis on HIV positive women, motherhood and pregnancy.

Common Threads covers many of the issues positive women face when considering pregnancy and motherhood. It contains sections on making the decision to have a baby, the chances of having a negative baby and whether your own health will be affected. The chapter on conceiving (either when your partner is positive or negative) includes telling others about your plans to conceive a child, as well as rights regarding access to IVF, and where to get support and advice on conception. There are also sections on pregnancy and treatment, diagnosis during pregnancy, and giving birth. Other chapters look at the hospital stay, care of your baby, disclosure, support for yourself, and other important parenting issues (work, custody, divorce, and legal documents). Each of the book's chapter headings are also beautifully illustrated by Cat McInnes.

The many women's stories throughout Common Threads illustrate the different ways women have dealt with these issues, and they ground the information provided in their lived experience. These women are by no means a homogenous group. Many of them were born in Australia , but not all of them. Most of them have children (many since they were diagnosed), but not all of them. Some of the women had been diagnosed for many years while others had been diagnosed within a year of the two of their stories being recorded.

If you would like a copy of the book, call PLWHA NSW on 9361 6011 or freecall (within New South Wales 1800 245 677).