Why Are Young Ghanaian Women Still Dying from Unsafe Abortions?

She was very young.
Barely five weeks pregnant.
Very much afraid of what the immediate future held, she unfortunately decided not to seek medical help. Instead, she attempted to terminate her pregnancy at home by ingesting dozens of paracetamol tablets. She was eventually brought to the hospital critically ill. Sent to the ICU even. Despite every effort by the healthcare team, she developed severe complications and sadly lost her life.

As healthcare professionals, we witness many heartbreaking moments. Yet some deaths linger far beyond the hospital walls because they leave us with so many uncomfortable questions.

One question continues to echo in my mind: How did we even get here?

Maybe an even more difficult question should be : If Ghana has Comprehensive Abortion Care services and a legal framework that permits abortion under specific circumstances, why are young women still risking and losing their precious lives through unsafe methods?

The World Health Organization defines unsafe abortion as the termination of a pregnancy by individuals lacking the necessary skills or in an environment that does not meet minimum medical standards, or both. Unsafe abortion remains a significant contributor to maternal illness and death, particularly in low and middle income countries.[1]

Contrary to what many Ghanaians believe, abortion is not completely illegal in Ghana. Under the Criminal Offences Act (Act 29, 1960), as amended, abortion is legally permitted under specific circumstances, including when the pregnancy results from rape or incest, when there is substantial risk to the life or physical or MENTAL health of the woman, or when there is a substantial risk of serious fetal abnormality. To support these legal provisions, the Ghana Health Service has developed Comprehensive Abortion Care guidelines to ensure that women who qualify receive safe, respectful, and evidence-based care.[2]

Yet, despite these policies, unsafe abortions continue to occur.

WHY IS THIS SO?
The answer is not likely to be a single one.

For many young women, fear is often the first obstacle. Fear of disappointing parents. Fear of religious condemnation. Fear of being judged by healthcare workers. Fear of community gossip. These fears frequently drive desperate decisions made in isolation rather than informed choices made with professional support.

Another challenge is misinformation. In the age of social media, dangerous information or myths about terminating pregnancies spread rapidly. Advice from friends, unverified online posts, and unsafe home remedies are often trusted more than trained healthcare professionals. Many young women are simply unaware of the legal options available or where safe reproductive healthcare services can be accessed.

This raises an important question for all of us.

Are we doing enough?
Are healthcare professionals creating environments where young women feel safe enough to seek help without fear of humiliation or judgment? Are our schools providing comprehensive sexual education that equips adolescents with accurate information rather than myths? Are parents having honest conversations with their children about sexual and reproductive health? Are faith based organizations and communities balancing their moral convictions with compassion for vulnerable young women?

These are uncomfortable questions, but they deserve honest answers.

The issue extends beyond abortion alone. Preventing unintended pregnancies through comprehensive sexuality education, access to contraception, and youth friendly reproductive health services remains one of the most effective strategies for reducing unsafe abortions. Young people who turn to understand their reproductive health are always better equipped to make informed decisions before they find themselves in crisis and trouble.

Equally important is the need to reduce stigma. Every woman deserves respectful, confidential, and non judgmental healthcare. Fear should never become a barrier to accessing life saving medical services. When stigma becomes stronger than support, silence often becomes deadly.

As healthcare professionals, we must continue to educate our patients, strengthen public awareness, advocate for evidence-based reproductive health services, and provide compassionate care regardless of the circumstances under which patients present. Policymakers, educators, parents, religious leaders, civil society organizations, and the media all have important roles to play in ensuring that accurate information reaches those who need it most.

The young woman whose story inspired this reflection should never become just another statistic. Her death should remind us that behind every number is a daughter, a friend, or a sister whose future was sadly cut short.

As Ghana continues working toward reducing maternal mortality and achieving universal access to quality healthcare, we must ask ourselves not only whether Comprehensive Abortion Care services exist, but whether the young people who need them know about them, can access them, and feel safe enough to seek them.

Hopefully with that, fewer young women will die from the unsafe abortions and fewer families will have to mourn deaths that were entirely preventable.

References
[1] World Health Organization. Abortion. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abortion

[2] https://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/news/ghana-comprehensive-abortion-care-services-standards-and-protocols-knowledge-of-abortion-legality-among-health-facility-staff-in-ghana/