State-Mandated HIV Testing in Connecticut: Personal Perspectives of Women Found to Be Infected During Pregnancy

In the 5 years after the adoption of state-mandated HIV testing in Connecticut, 33% of HIV-positive pregnant women in the state were newly diagnosed during their pregnancy. Women who first learned that they were HIV-infected during pregnancy comprised of a unique group of people tested, in essence, by state mandate. A total of 11 such women agreed to in-depth interviews to share their personal perspectives regarding the benefits as well as the adverse sequelae of HIV testing for themselves, their children, and the public health. Each woman recalled her initial response to the law, to her HIV diagnosis, and to the seemingly unavoidable challenge to her self-identity and described the ensuing adjustments. There was universal agreement by the study subjects that the law was of overriding and significant benefit.

Key words: HIV, pregnancy, mandatory testing laws, social sequelae, mother-to-child transmission