##manager.scheduler.building##: Velodromo - Bocconi University
##manager.scheduler.room##: N05
Date: 2019-01-26 09:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Last modified: 2018-12-29
Abstract
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. Ghana becomes an important setting for this study because of the estimated deaths of women which occurs as a result of unsafe abortion. We used the Demographic and Health Surveys of 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2014 to explore the trends and variations of abortion rates in the regions of Ghana. The results shows that abortion rate is inconsistent in Ghana with a decline from 19.1% in 1998 to 17% in 2003, but with increase from 16.1% to 21.4% in 2014. The result also showed that abortion rate is inconsistent across all regions of Ghana from 1998 to 2014. 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.