Background & aim: Pregnancy is every woman's stage of life. During this period, women experience physical, mental and social changes. It is very sensitive, challenging and therefore a critical period for every woman particularly in HIV-positive women. During pregnancy, an HIV-positive mother is facing a psychological crisis which includes fear of transmission to children, death, leaving children to the family or a guardian, adverse effects during pregnancy and the effects of pregnancy on their health. Therefore, HIV-positive pregnant women are vulnerable and require supportive interventions.  Care for pregnant women with HIV negative women are unique and different. However, no more information about experience of pregnancy in HIV positive women exists. Therfore, the aim of the present study was to explore the lived experience of pregnancy in HIV-positive women.

Methods: The present qualitative study with hermeneutic phenomenological approach included 12 HIV-infected pregnant women who referred to the counseling center for behavioral diseases at Imam Khomeini Hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences who were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data saturation was achieved after 16 interviews, each 40 to 90 min of duration with participants and then was analyzed by the method proposed by Diekelmann (1989).

Results: The participants in the present study were of 22- 39 years of age. After data analysis, the main themes and 3 sub-themes emerged. These themes included: “return to life” with the three sub-themes of experience of motherhood, stability and protection, and gratification.

Conclusion: The results revealed that although the experience of pregnancy in HIV-positive women was associated with a deep sense of fear of transmission of the disease and having children was viewed as a way of hope. Motherhood gave their lives meaning and provided for them to return to life. Understanding and awareness of all those are necessary for health care providers.The findings of this study emphasize on the need to design and implement comprehensive prevention strategies and interventions tailored to have a good feeling of pregnancy in these women.