Empowered women in Ghana making informed reproductive health choices.

Empowering Choice: Contraceptive Preferences After Abortion in Ghana

Lena Voss in Health & Wellness June 2025 • 3 min read.

"A new study reveals insights into post-abortion contraceptive choices and the critical role of counseling in Ghana."

Globally, complications arising from unsafe abortions account for a significant 13% to 25% of all pregnancy-related deaths. In developing countries, about 55 million unintended pregnancies occur each year due to women not using any contraceptive method. An additional 25 million result from incorrect or inconsistent use, or method failure.

In Ghana, the statistics reveal that 16% of births are unwanted, 40% are unplanned, and 24% are mistimed. Abortions constitute 16% of deliveries and contribute to 11% of maternal deaths. It’s estimated that if contraception were accessible and consistently used by women wishing to avoid pregnancy, maternal deaths could decline by 25-35%.

Post-Abortion Care (PAC) emerged in 1994 as a vital strategy to mitigate maternal mortality and morbidity. It aims to treat abortion and miscarriage complications, while offering family planning counseling and services to prevent repeat unplanned pregnancies and abortions. However, PAC services have often focused more on treating immediate symptoms like hemorrhage and sepsis, rather than addressing the broader unmet need for family planning and contraceptive services.

How Does Contraceptive Counseling Impact Post-Abortion Care?

Empowered women in Ghana making informed reproductive health choices.

A prospective study was conducted between January and December 2010, involving women admitted to the gynaecologic wards of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana, following an abortion episode. The study aimed to understand their contraceptive preferences and acceptance rates after counseling.

The study revealed several key findings:

High Acceptance Rate: 68% of women accepted contraception following counseling, compared to only 16% before the abortion.
Preferred Methods: The combined pill was the most favored (25%), followed by injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate.
Abstinence: 66% of women choosing abstinence were below age 20.
Independent Factors: Acceptance of contraception was independent of marital status (p=0.33), age (p=0.27), and formal education (p=0.31).

These results underscore the effectiveness of integrating contraceptive counseling into post-abortion care. By providing women with information and options, healthcare providers can significantly increase the uptake of effective contraception.

The Path Forward: Empowering Women Through Choice

The study reinforces the importance of offering comprehensive contraceptive counseling as part of post-abortion care. Addressing the unmet need for family planning can significantly reduce unintended pregnancies and promote better reproductive health outcomes for women in Ghana. By empowering women to make informed choices about their reproductive health, we can contribute to healthier families and communities.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.4172/2167-0420.1000109, Alternate LINK

Title: Contraceptive Preferences Of Post-Abortion Patients In Ghana

Subject: General Medicine

Journal: Journal of Women's Health Care

Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group

Authors: Baafuor Opoku

Published: 2012-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

What is Post-Abortion Care (PAC) and how does it work?

Post-Abortion Care (PAC) emerged in 1994 as a strategy to address maternal mortality and morbidity. PAC focuses on treating complications from abortions and miscarriages, such as hemorrhage and sepsis. Simultaneously, it offers family planning counseling and services. The goal is to prevent future unplanned pregnancies and abortions, improving women's reproductive health outcomes by addressing the broader need for contraceptive services.

How did contraceptive choices change after counseling?

The study indicates a significant shift in contraceptive choices. Before the abortion, only 16% of women accepted contraception. However, after receiving contraceptive counseling, this rate soared to 68%. This highlights the crucial role of counseling in informing and empowering women to make informed decisions about their reproductive health. The combined pill was the most favored method, chosen by 25% of the women, followed by injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate.

What are the most common contraceptive methods chosen, and are there any patterns?

The preferred methods were diverse, with the combined pill being the most favored, chosen by 25% of women. Injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate was another popular choice. It's important to note that the acceptance of contraception was independent of factors such as marital status, age, and formal education. This suggests that the need for contraceptive information and services is widespread, irrespective of a woman's background.

Why is contraceptive counseling important in the context of reproductive health?

Contraceptive counseling is essential because it enables women to make informed choices about their reproductive health. The study highlights that by offering women information and options, healthcare providers can significantly increase the uptake of effective contraception. This has implications for reducing the number of unintended pregnancies, as well as improving overall maternal health outcomes.

What are the key challenges in reproductive health in Ghana?

In Ghana, 16% of births are unwanted, 40% are unplanned, and 24% are mistimed. Moreover, abortions account for 16% of deliveries and contribute to 11% of maternal deaths. These statistics underscore the urgency of providing contraceptive counseling and services. If contraception were accessible and consistently used by women wishing to avoid pregnancy, maternal deaths could decline by 25-35%.