Hairdressers, tailors top alarming 11,427 abortion stats recorded in A/R

Ultimate News has gathered that, a high figure of eleven-thousand-four-hundred and twenty-seven (11,427) females aged between ten and thirty five went through abortions in the Ashanti region in the year 2016.

The figures are corroborated by Data from the Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital (KATH) and the Ashanti regional directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

According to the data gathered from all health facilities in the Ashanti region, 45% of these termination of pregnancies were unsafe abortions.

A thousand five hundred representing a tenth of this number died while aborting their unborn babies.

Shedding more light on the figures, a gynaecologist obstetrician at KATH Dr. Ernest Kwarko noted that majority of females who underwent abortion were hair dressers and seamstresses aged between 20 and 24

Speaking to Ultimate News’ Isaac Badiako Justice, Dr Kwarko indicated that the high numbers were as a result of several women in their active reproductive years having unwanted pregnancies.

“Over the years we have realized that it is likely that this age group, are likely not to be in a stable relationship or are not married and therefore the need for abortion may become high because their pregnancies may not be wanted.”

“Also that is the age where most women are in their prime, in upper senior high, just starting their university or learning a trade. That’s why we tend to have some high numbers from professions like tailor apprentices and hair dressers as they call them.”

He also divulged that a maternal and health survey conducted in the country reveals that 7% of all women in the reproductive age group, who have a pregnancy, would want to have an abortion.