Women at crossroads: a qualitative study of induced abortion and violence in a Ghanaian region.

Unsafe abortions contribute significantly to maternal mortality and morbidity in Ghana. To reduce this, in 1982 abortion laws in Ghana underwent reform to broaden the conditions under which abortion is accessed. Although, evidence in other contexts highlights the contribution of violence to women's experience of unwanted pregnancy and abortion, such evidence is limited within the Ghanaian abortion literature.

Three Delays Model applied to prevention of unsafe abortion in Ghana: a qualitative study.

Background: Unsafe abortion is an important public health problem in Ghana, making significant contributions to the morbidity and mortality of reproductive-aged women. Although mostly used in explaining mortality associated with perinatal care, recent calls for research on induced abortion in Africa suggest that the Three Delays Model could be used to enhance understanding of women's experiences and access to induced abortion care.

Methods: We conducted 47 face-to-face interviews with women who had experienced unsafe abortions, with formal abortion providers (abortion providers in hospitals) and with informal and non-legal abortion providers (pharmacy workers and herb sellers).

"Abortion--it is my own body": women's narratives about influences on their abortion decisions in Ghana.

Globally, abortion has emerged as a critical determinant of maternal morbidity and mortality. The Ghana government amended the country's abortion law in 1985 to promote safe abortion. This article discusses the findings of a qualitative study that explored the decision-making experiences of 28 female abortion seekers aged between 15 and 30 years in Ghana.