Many men living with HIV (MLWH) want to have children. HIV-RNA suppression can minimize sexual HIV transmission risks while allowing for conception. The study will evaluate a safer conception intervention that leverages men's motivations to have healthy babies in order to promote serostatus disclosure and early ART initiation. The intervention is based on the investigators' Safer Conception Conceptual Framework, which considers individual, dyadic, and structural factors that affect periconception risk behavior.
The study will evaluate and test a safer conception intervention that leverages men's motivations to have healthy babies in order to promote serostatus disclosure and early ART initiation. The intervention is based on a Safer Conception Conceptual Framework, which considers individual, dyadic, and structural factors that affect periconception risk behavior. The researchers will conduct an open pilot to refine the intervention. The study will enroll men who want to have children with uninfected or unknown status female partners. Men will participate in three study sessions offering motivational interviewing and problem solving to help men develop a plan to have a healthy baby. The counseling will explore safer conception options including safe disclosure, delaying conception attempts until on ART with viral suppression, STI testing and treatment, timing condomless sex to peak fertility. The primary outcome is HIV RNA suppression at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes include acceptability, feasibility, early ART uptake, adherence, serostatus disclosure, couples HIV counseling and testing uptake, and limiting unprotected sex to peak fertility.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
28
CBT based safer conception counseling with longitudinal follow-up and booster sessions. The primary outcome will be HIV RNA suppression at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include early ART uptake, adherence, serostatus disclosure, couples HIV counseling and testing uptake, and limiting unprotected sex to peak fertility.
HIV RNA Suppression
Proportion of men achieving HIV-RNA suppression
Time frame: 12 weeks
Uptake of ART
The proportion of men who initiate or continue ART
Time frame: 12 weeks
Uptake of HIV-serostatus disclosure
The proportion of men who report disclosure of HIV serostatus to pregnancy partner
Time frame: 12 weeks
Use of timing condomless sex to peak fertility
Through SMS surveys to assess weekly sexual behavior the study will evaluate the proportion of men who attempt to limit condomless sex to peak fertility
Time frame: 12 weeks
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