FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS - PARENTING DECISIONS AND CHALLENGES FACED BYMOTHERS WHO ARE HIV-SEROPOSITIVE

We delineate critical parenting issues faced by mothers who are HIV se ropositive. These issues, which must be considered within the environm ental context in which most of these women live, include major life de cisions (pregnancy, disclosure, future planning) and daily life challe nges (day-to-day parenting, managing other burdens). Research is virtu ally nonexistent and, as most parenting issues faced by mothers who ar e seropositive are unique, it is not possible to draw upon work with o ther parents for direction and solution. Research on the parenting iss ues faced by these women is needed to guide interventions and policy.