Declining Son Preference among HIV infected Women in Northern Karnataka, India

Abstract

The study examined the sex preference among women living with HIV/AIDS (WLAHs) in Karnataka, India using a representative random sample of 633 women belonging to the age group 15-29 years since a large proportion of the women in India complete their family size before 30 years. The profile of the respondents indicates that the mean age was slightly over 25 years, was largely residing in rural areas and about a half of them were illiterate. There was a very high level of son preference prior to HIV infection. Though the percent of women desired to have a boy or daughter increased after being HIV positive, the results indicate a significant reduction in son preference after being tested positive compared prior to having any child and HIV negative. This could be due to a significant proportion of the WLHAs refine their desired family and sex preference possibly because of the fear of transmission of HIV virus to their child. The WLHAs desire could be healthy children irrespective of sex of the child so that the children do not have to suffer stigma and discrimination if they are HIV positive.