Understanding the Trends and Variations of Abortion in Regions of Ghana

Ololade Julius Baruwa, University of Cape Town
Paul Ajayi, University of Witwatersrand

Information on the rates and trends of abortion could be important in identifying gaps in contraceptive use and unwanted pregnancies because many of the abortions that occurs in African settings are unsafe and has been linked to maternal mortality and morbidity. We used the Demographic and Health Surveys from 1998-2014 to explore trends and variations of abortion rates in the regions of Ghana. The results shows that abortion rate is inconsistently high in Ghana with a decline from 19.1% in 1998 to 17% in 2003, but with increase from 16.1% in 2008 to 21.4% in 2014. Result also showed that abortion rate is inconsistent across all regions of Ghana. In conclusion, this study showed that abortion rate is still very high in Ghana and differs by regions. Prompt implementation and revision of abortion law may have a significant effect on the reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity.