Determinants of Unsafe Abortion Practices Among Young Women in the Bongo District, Ghana

Abstract

BackgroundUnsafe abortion remains a critical public health challenge among young women in Ghana, persisting despite the provisions of PNDC Law 102 permitting abortion.AimThis study examined the determinants of unsafe abortion among women aged 15-25 years in the Bongo District, Upper East Region, with particular focus on contraceptive use, health-system accessibility, and socio-economic pressures.MethodsUsing a qualitative study, thirty-four women from five communities were recruited through purposive sampling and interviewed using a semi-structured guide.ResultsFour main themes emerged firstly, the idea of having an unsafe abortion was so ingrained in the society that it had become a kind of a routine for people in the district; Secondly, not using contraceptives was more a result of the women's worries about becoming infertile, side effects, and their partners disapproval than simply not knowing about them; Thirdly, formal health services were so expensive, far, and the providers were so judgmental that many just gave up on them; Lastly, social stigma namely, the women's fear of disgracing their families and being expelled from school. The findings are that unsafe abortion in Bongo District is a systemic failure, not a lack of awareness.ConclusionThe findings of this study highlighted that unsafe abortion in Bongo District is a structural failure of the reproductive health system, of social support networks, and of policy implementation rather than a deficit of individual knowledge or moral resolve. Young women in the district are neither uninformed about the risks of unsafe procedures nor indifferent to their health.