Judgements regarding the acceptability of childbearing and parental fitness made towards women living with HIV.

This study examines the societal perceptions and judgements made towards HIV-positive pregnant women when compared with those targeting pregnant women with other medical conditions. One hundred and sixty participants (124 female) were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions defined by specific medical condition of the pregnant woman in the vignette (HIV/AIDS, obesity, lung cancer or diabetes). Participants were asked to respond to a variety of items gauging their reaction to the woman and her pregnancy subsequent to reading the scenario.