TY - JOUR
T1 - Female Sex Workers’ Experiences Selling Sex during Pregnancy and Post-Delivery in South Africa
AU - Parmley, Lauren
AU - Rao, Amrita
AU - Young, Katherine
AU - Kose, Zamakayise
AU - Phaswana-Mafuya, Nancy
AU - Mcingana, Mfezi
AU - Lambert, Andy
AU - Hausler, Harry
AU - Baral, Stefan
AU - Schwartz, Sheree
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank our participants for their time and contribution to the study as well as the community advisory group at TB/HIV Care in Port Elizabeth who provided valuable input and support. Funding for this study was provided by the MAC AIDS Fund and support to study investigators made available through the Johns Hopkins University Center for AIDS Research (P30AI094189).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Population Council, Inc.
PY - 2019/9/1
Y1 - 2019/9/1
N2 - Nearly 75 percent of female sex workers (FSWs) in Port Elizabeth, South Africa are mothers, many of whom engage in sex work during pregnancy or after delivery. We conducted in-depth interviews with 22 postpartum and 8 pregnant FSWs in Port Elizabeth. Interview guides were used to probe women's experiences, challenges, and concerns about selling sex during pregnancy and post-delivery in a high-HIV-prevalence context. Interviews were transcribed, translated, and coded using thematic analysis. FSWs experienced and feared violence by clients during pregnancy, highlighting the need for safe work environments. Further, FSWs expressed concerns about HIV acquisition and vertical transmission during the perinatal period. Physical challenges related to pregnancy affected women's ability to work. Returning to work post-delivery presented barriers to initiating and practicing exclusive breastfeeding. As a result, many FSWs practiced mixed feeding. Interventions, tailored to respond to FSW's challenges and experiences, may offer improved health outcomes in this context.
AB - Nearly 75 percent of female sex workers (FSWs) in Port Elizabeth, South Africa are mothers, many of whom engage in sex work during pregnancy or after delivery. We conducted in-depth interviews with 22 postpartum and 8 pregnant FSWs in Port Elizabeth. Interview guides were used to probe women's experiences, challenges, and concerns about selling sex during pregnancy and post-delivery in a high-HIV-prevalence context. Interviews were transcribed, translated, and coded using thematic analysis. FSWs experienced and feared violence by clients during pregnancy, highlighting the need for safe work environments. Further, FSWs expressed concerns about HIV acquisition and vertical transmission during the perinatal period. Physical challenges related to pregnancy affected women's ability to work. Returning to work post-delivery presented barriers to initiating and practicing exclusive breastfeeding. As a result, many FSWs practiced mixed feeding. Interventions, tailored to respond to FSW's challenges and experiences, may offer improved health outcomes in this context.
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U2 - 10.1111/sifp.12090
DO - 10.1111/sifp.12090
M3 - Article
C2 - 30997677
AN - SCOPUS:85064704786
SN - 0039-3665
VL - 50
SP - 201
EP - 217
JO - Studies in family planning
JF - Studies in family planning
IS - 3
ER -