“You have no idea what a mother goes through with this disease”:experiences of mothers living with HIV/AIDS about motherhood

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the experiences of motherhood as an institution that guides social relations through norms and rules for women living with HIV. Using a qualitative approach inspired by the cartographic method, interviews were conducted with ten women who gave birth after receiving an HIV diagnosis and reside in two small municipalities in Paraná, Brazil. The results and discussion were organized into six thematic scenes that ilustrated the diversity of experiences and challenges encountered by these women. The analys revealed how HIV influences the desire for motherhood, the (lack of) pregnancy planning, the (im)possibility of breastfeeding, the disclosure of the diagnosis to their children, and parenting pratices at different stages of motherhood. The conclusions indicated that motherhood experiences are shaped by historical and social construction as well as the stigmas associated with HIV/AIDS, emphasizing the critical need for psychosocial support to ensure the well-being of these women and their children.