Beyond love: a qualitative analysis of factors associated with teenage pregnancy among young women with pregnancy experience in Bolgatanga, Ghana

Abstract

Globally, an estimated 16 million young women aged 15 to 19 years give birth every year. Most teenage pregnancies are unintended and being pregnant or delivering a baby as a teenager can have serious adverse consequences. Knowledge of the environmental factors and social cognitive determinants influencing young women's failure to protect against unintended pregnancy is necessary to address the high rate of teenage pregnancies. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 21 young women, who had experience of pregnancy, in Bolgatanga, Ghana. The interview protocol included themes (relationships, sex, pregnancy, family planning) and determinants (knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, norms, risk perceptions) derived from empirical studies and theories related to sexuality behaviour. Findings show that young women's motivations for sexual relationships are mostly 'beyond love' and seem to focus on economic factors. The main means of sexual protection seems to be condom use. Other forms of contraception were believed to be linked to infertility. Sexuality remains a largely taboo topic for open discussion and sex education in schools seems limited to abstinence-only messages. The need for more open communication on matters of sexuality with young people and the provision of a more comprehensive sexuality education in school to address teenage pregnancies in Ghana, is discussed.

Adolescent pregnancy and social norms in Zambia

“…Thus, there is little room for protective measures such as contraception or discussions about how to avoid pregnancies beyond the message of abstinence. In comparison, in a recent qualitative study in northern Ghana never-pregnant girls said they can be open about their relationships with boys, can talk about sexuality with their mothers and are able to plan for safe sex, whereas young women with a pregnancy experience indicated that they did not talk about sex at home because they were afraid of becoming an object of scorn, or being beaten or because it was embarrassing (Krugu et al 2016(Krugu et al , 2017. Sedgh et al (2015, 228) have claimed that, in developing countries, where 'norms often include early age at marriage and early start of childbearing, a larger proportion of pregnancies to adolescents are likely to be intended than in developed countries'.…”

Early motherhood: voices from female adolescents in the Hohoe Municipality, Ghana—a qualitative study utilizing Schlossberg’s Transition Theory

“…This study builds on previous research conducted on adolescent pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and the use of contraceptives in Ghana (Agyei, Biritwum, Ashitey, & Hill, 2000;Awusabo-Asare, Abane, & Kumi-Kyereme, 2004;Gyesaw & Ankomah, 2013). Another study has also explored the experiences of adolescent motherhood (Krugu, Mevissen, Münkel, & Ruiter, 2016). In this study, Schlossberg's Transition Theory (Anderson et al, 2012;Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton, & Renn, 2010) is used as a guide to provide more insight into the lived experiences of pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers in the Hohoe Municipality of Ghana.…”

Prevalence and Correlates of Perceived Infertility in Ghana

“…2014; Hindin, McGough, and Adanu 2014; Krugu et al. 2017; Sedlander et al. 2018; Atijosan, Adeyeye, and Ogungbayi 2019) can lead to infertility in women, despite evidence that neither reversible contraceptive methods nor safe abortions adversely impact future fertility (Girum and Wasie 2018; Vayssière et al.…”