Decision-making for induced abortion in the Accra Metropolis, Ghana

Decision-making for induced abortion can be influenced by various circumstances including those surrounding the onset of a pregnancy. There are various dimensions to induced abortion decision-making among women who had an elective induced abortion in a cosmopolitan urban setting in Ghana, which this paper examined. A cross-sectional mixed-method study was conducted between January and December 2011 with 401 women who had undergone an abortion procedure in the preceding 12 months. Whereas the quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. The study found that women of various profiles have different reasons for undergoing abortion. Women considered the circumstances surrounding the onset of pregnancy, the person responsible for the pregnancy, the gestational age at the decision to terminate, and social, economic, and medical considerations. Pressures from partners, career progression, and reproductive intentions of women reinforced these reasons. First-time pregnancies were mostly aborted regardless of gestational age and partners' consent. Policies and programs targeted at safe abortion care are needed to guide informed decisions on induced abortions. Decision-making for induced abortion may be influenced by various circumstances, including those surrounding the onset of a pregnancy. This study examined the different dimensions regarding induced abortion decision-making among women who had elective induced abortion in a cosmopolitan urban setting in Ghana, which is the subject of study in this article. We conducted a cross-sectional mixed-method study between January and December 2011 among 401 women who had undergone an abortion in the previous 12 months. Whereas the quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive chi-square statistics, thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. The study found that women of various profiles have different reasons for having an abortion. Women considered the circumstances surrounding the onset of the pregnancy, the person responsible for the pregnancy, the gestational age at the time of the abortion, and social, economic, and medical considerations. Pressure from partners, career advancement, and women's childbearing intentions reinforced these reasons. The very first pregnancies were mostly abandoned without taking into account the gestational age and the consent of the partners. Policies and programs that target safe abortion services are needed to guide informed decisions about induced abortions.