Girls test fertility by deliberately getting pregnant - Dr Srofenyoh

A Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist at the Ridge Hospital says he is alarmed by the number of young girls who deliberately get pregnant to test their fertility.

Although they are unprepared to have a baby, the young ladies are shying away from using contraceptives as a method of preventing pregnancy, Dr Emmanuel Srofenyoh disclosed on Multi TV’s AM Show Wednesday.

“I have never been pregnant, I want to find out if I can really be pregnant,” is the usual reframe of some teenagers, he said.

“There are ladies in intimate relationships, who at the time of the relationship, know that they are not ready to have a baby but who are simply not using any form of preventive method to make sure that they do not get pregnant".

Once the ladies discover they are pregnant, they begin to look for means to abort the pregnancies he revealed. There are reports that adopting abortion as a form of family planning method is increasing.

He expressed worry that some young girls are taking bitter coffee, Guiness to induce abortion. In an instance, the Gynecologist revealed that a young lady almost drank grounded louvre blade mixed with water because she wanted to terminate a pregnancy.

Explaining why some young women shy away from the use of approved family planning methods, Dr Srofenyoh says there is the fear that contraceptives could impede fertility in the future.

“Any symptom, disease condition or problem they might have in the future they tend to blame it on whatever method they have used and this is passed on from one person to the other’’.

He said, unfortunately such stories catch on easily because people don’t rely on official sources for information.

He said some women are also apprehensive about the possible side effects of using contraceptives.

But these fears, the Gynecologist said, are unfounded.

Dr Emmanuel Srofenyoh also disclosed that about 15 to 20 percent of all pregnancies can miscarry before they reach the period of viability which is 28 weeks in Ghana due to natural process.