Factors Associated with Abortion-Seeking and Obtaining a Safe Abortion in Ghana

Although Ghana's abortion law is fairly liberal, unsafe abortion and its consequences remain among the largest contributors to maternal mortality in the country. This study analyzes data from the 2007 Ghana Maternal Health Survey to identify the sociodemographic profiles of women who seek to in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in family planning 2012-12, Vol.43 (4), p.273-286
Main Authors: Sundaram, Aparna, Juarez, Fatima, Bankole, Akinrinola, Singh, Susheela
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abortion
Abortion Applicants - statistics & numerical data
Abortion, Induced - statistics & numerical data
Adolescent
Adolescents
Adult
Age Factors
Children
Female
Gender equality
Ghana - epidemiology
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health surveys
Humans
Induced abortion
Legal status
Maternal mortality rates
Middle Aged
Mortality
Patient Acceptance of Health Care - ethnology
Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data
Pregnancy
Prior convictions
Socioeconomic Factors
Socioeconomics
Vulnerable Populations - statistics & numerical data
Womens health
Young Adult
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Summary:Although Ghana's abortion law is fairly liberal, unsafe abortion and its consequences remain among the largest contributors to maternal mortality in the country. This study analyzes data from the 2007 Ghana Maternal Health Survey to identify the sociodemographic profiles of women who seek to induce abortion and those who are able to obtain safe abortion services. We hypothesize that women who have access to safe abortion will not be distributed randomly across different social groups in Ghana; rather, access will be influenced by social and economic factors. The results confirm this hypothesis and reveal that the women who are most vulnerable to unsafe abortions are younger, poorer, and lack partner support. The study concludes with policy recommendations for improving access to safe abortion for all subgroups of women, especially the most vulnerable.
ISSN:0039-3665
1728-4465
DOI:10.1111/j.1728-4465.2012.00326.x