Sample and setting
The setting for this study was the regional centre for the
management of HIV infection in Northern Ireland. Women known
to be HIV positive before pregnancy, and those diagnosed as HIV
positive during pregnancy are encouraged to attend for obstetric
consultant-led-care at the maternity hospital on the same Belfast
site. By the end of 2009, 34 women had been diagnosed during
pregnancy since the introduction, in 2003, of antenatal screening
in Northern Ireland. During the recruitment period for this study,
nine women were diagnosed antenatally during 2008 and a
further three during 2009 (Wilson, 2009).
A purposeful sampling procedure, which aimed to select
information-rich cases was applied (Patton, 1990). In particular,
three groups of women were noted for inclusion in the study,
those who were aware of their diagnosis prior to pregnancy, those
who learned about their diagnosis through antenatal screening
and HIV negative women choosing to conceive with an HIV
positive partner. While not included in this paper, the experiences
of HIV positive men whose partners were actively trying to
conceive, were pregnant or who had recently given birth were
also invited to participate in the study. Exclusion criteria for the
study included women and men whose partners were already
participating in the study and persons under the age of 18 years.