This article highlights Canadian resources that service providers can use to understand and address HIV and hepatitis C among women. The resources include reports that explore the context of women’s experiences with HIV and hepatitis C in Canada, as well as guides and tools to support the delivery of services to women.
Some of the resources in this article are inclusive of cisgender women and gender-diverse people including trans women. Other resources may primarily address cisgender women. The term women is used in the resource descriptions below, but many resources may be relevant to a broader range of gender identities.
Hepatitis C
Family planning, pregnancy and infant feeding
These resources address family planning, pregnancy and infant feeding in the context of hepatitis C.
Preventing risks during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding related to hepatitis C
2021
CATIE
This page from CATIE’s Hepatitis C: An In-Depth Guide looks at hepatitis C transmission risk and treatment in the context of pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
HCV and pregnancy
2020
Saskatchewan Prevention Institute
This fact sheet provides an overview of hepatitis C care in relation to pregnancy and infants.
The H.E.R. Pregnancy Program
2018
CATIE
This case study describes a program run by Streetworks in Edmonton that assists street-involved pregnant women to access healthcare and social resources, including women who have HIV or hepatitis C.
HIV
Family planning, pregnancy and infant feeding
These resources address family planning, pregnancy and infant feeding in the context of HIV.
This CATIE statement reviews the evidence for the effectiveness of ART to maintain an undetectable viral load to prevent perinatal transmission of HIV. The statement also discusses the ways service providers can integrate messages about perinatal transmission prevention into their work.
The risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding: What we know (and don’t know)
2023
CATIE
This article reviews the evidence on the risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding and looks at how service providers can support people with HIV in their choices related to infant feeding.
Canadian Paediatric & Perinatal HIV/AIDS Research Group consensus recommendations for infant feeding in the HIV context
2023
Canadian Paediatric & Perinatal HIV/AIDS Research Group
These recommendations provide national recommendations and counselling guidance on infant feeding for healthcare providers and other service providers working with women with HIV.
Supporting mothers in ways that work: A resource toolkit for service providers working with mothers living with HIV
2016
The HIV Mothering Study Team Women & HIV/AIDS Initiative (WHAI)
This toolkit describes the results from the HIV Mothering Study, which looked at the experiences of mothers with HIV in Ontario and provides recommendations to address the needs and barriers to care expressed by the study participants. Please note that information related to HIV transmission and infant feeding has evolved since the toolkit was first published.
In addition, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada has developed several guidelines that address HIV-related considerations before, during and after pregnancy.
Canadian HIV pregnancy planning guidelines (2018) — These guidelines address fertility, preconception and pregnancy planning. A 2020 practice guide is available to support healthcare providers’ use of the guidelines.
HIV screening in pregnancy (2006, reaffirmed 2017) — These guidelines address HIV screening during pregnancy. Related guidance is also available from the Canadian Paediatric Society.
Guidelines for the care of pregnant women living with HIV and interventions to reduce perinatal transmission: Executive summary (2014) — These guidelines address the prevention of perinatal HIV transmission. Please note that recommendations related to HIV transmission and infant feeding have evolved since these guidelines were first published.
Care and support
These resources address different aspects of care and support for women with HIV, including medical care, the creation of welcoming and supportive women-centred care environments and support with HIV disclosure.
Caring for women living with HIV: Women-centred HIV care
2020
Centre for Effective Practice
This toolkit for healthcare providers and community-based organizations provides practical guidance on delivering women-centred care to women with HIV. A toolkit for women with HIV is also available to support women in advocating for their healthcare needs.
Women, HIV & stigma: A toolkit for creating welcoming spaces
2018
Women & HIV/AIDS Initiative (WHAI)
This toolkit helps organizations reflect on the impact stigma can have on women with HIV and women at risk of HIV transmission. The toolkit also offers practical tips on how organizations can make their spaces more welcoming and inclusive for women using their services.
Love Positive Women implementation guide
2018
Women & HIV/AIDS Initiative (WHAI)
This implementation guide describe how organizations can take part in Love Positive Women, a global project that raises awareness of and celebrates women and girls with HIV.
Understanding U=U for women living with HIV: ICASO community brief
2018
ICASO
This brief examines U=U, or how having an undetectable viral load prevents the onward transmission of HIV, from a women’s rights perspective.
A gender-centred dialogue on alternative justice responses to HIV non-disclosure criminalization
2023
HIV Legal Network
This report summarizes a gender-centred roundtable discussion on alternative justice responses to HIV non-disclosure criminalization hosted by the HIV Legal Network, in collaboration with Communities, Alliances & Networks (CAAN) and the Women & HIV/AIDS Initiative. The report includes recommendations for action synthesized from the discussions.
WHAI disclosure toolkit for service providers
2021
Women & HIV/AIDS Initiative (WHAI)
This toolkit reviews how to support women who disclose their HIV status when accessing services. Although some information related to HIV and privacy legislation is specific to Ontario, other areas of the toolkit can still be used to inform service providers in other provinces and territories.
Positive women: Exposing injustice
2012
HIV Legal Network
This film profiles four women with HIV and the impact the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure has had on their lives. A 2022 film, Positive women revisited, followed up 10 years later with two of the women from the original film.
Indigenous women
These resources examine HIV and sexual health within the context of Indigenous women.
Transforming our response to sexual and reproductive health
2018
Native Women's Association of Canada
This fact sheet reviews the importance of providing trauma-informed care in sexual and reproductive health services and includes tips for providing care to Indigenous women.
This plan presents strategic directions for CAAN, a national Indigenous organization, and its partners, in the work toward lowering the incidence and prevalence of HIV, hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections among Indigenous women in Canada.
Indigenous women, HIV and gender-based violence
2017
HIV Legal Network
This report reviews literature examining the intersection of HIV and gender-based violence among Indigenous women and presents law and policy reform recommendations to address these issues.
Client resources
These resources can be used by service providers to share information on HIV with the women who access their services.
Growing your family
2020
CATIE
This guide reviews pregnancy planning, surrogacy and adoption as options for people with HIV who are looking to become parents.
Having a baby: What people living with HIV should know about pregnancy and infant feeding
2019
CATIE
This resource provides guidance on pregnancy and infant feeding for people with HIV, including the role of HIV treatment in preventing HIV transmission during conception and delivery.
Women-centred HIV care: Information for women
2020
Centre for Effective Practice
This toolkit supports women with HIV to take an informed role in managing their health and to better advocate for themselves when working with their healthcare providers.
Glad I tested
2015
Women’s Health in Women’s Hands
In this video, five women share their experiences of getting tested for HIV.
PrEP and women: what you need to know
2022
Women & HIV/AIDS Initiative (WHAI)
This resource reviews the basics of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for women, including effectiveness, safety and considerations for starting PrEP. It also includes information on accessing and paying for PrEP that is specific to Ontario.
For more resources on women, see Resources on women and harm reduction or visit the CATIE website.
About the author(s)
Erica Lee is CATIE’s manager of website content and evaluation. Since earning her master of information studies, Erica has worked in the health library field, supporting the information needs of frontline service providers and service users. Before joining CATIE, Erica worked as the Librarian at the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT).