ArticleThe Pan African medical journal2021
Understanding the meaning of autonomy in adolescent pregnancy decision-making: lessons from Ghana.
Article in The Pan African medical journal, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.
- Ethical issues in providing comprehensive abortion care to adolescents: a qualitative study of healthcare providers in the Eastern Region of Ghana.BMC medical ethics · 2026Article
- Adolescent health services in a primary care facility in Northern Ghana: a qualitative investigation of patients', guardians', and staff's perceptions of care.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Adolescent Health Services in a Primary Care Facility in Northern Ghana: A Qualitative Investigation of Patients', Guardians', and Staff's Perceptions of Care.Research square · 2025Article
- Teenage mothers report poor health and economic functioning in Western Kenya: A call to action.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Factors Influencing Abortion Decision-Making of Adolescents and Young Women: A Narrative Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Adolescent mothers, self-care and childcare: content validation of an Event History Calendar.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S P · 2023Article
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1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.
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Abstract
introductionadolescent pregnancy in Ghana, like in most low and middle income countries, is an issue of immense public health importance. Pregnant adolescents are faced with the stronger dilemma of either terminating the unwanted pregnancy or keeping it. This discourse which is based on findings from empirical research in Accra Ghana aims at contributing to the usefulness of understanding the meaning and scope of autonomy when it comes to providing ethically grounded, and adolescent friendly, reproductive health care services to pregnant adolescents. The aim of this work was to document the meaning and determinants of autonomous decision making among pregnant adolescents in the James Town area of Accra, Ghana.
methodsthirty (30) semi-structured in depth interviews were conducted among adolescents who had been pregnant at least once, 23 in depth interviews among purposively selected stakeholders (parents, teachers, NGO staff working in reproductive health, community volunteers), and 8 focus group discussions among parents, teachers, adolescent students who had not been pregnant before, and adolescents who had at least one pregnancy in the past. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically.
resultsmost adolescents reported that the final decision to continue a pregnancy to term or go in for an abortion was taken by them. The partner´s willingness to take responsibility of the pregnant adolescent and baby, as well as financial considerations, were main players in deciding upon the pregnancy outcomes. Cultural desirability for children and health care provider/father paternalism (power dynamics) in the decision-making process were central considerations in the decision-making process. Unaffordable and unfriendly safe abortion services pushed adolescents to either continue pregnancies to term against their will, or opt to visit unsafe abortion care providers.
conclusionadolescents stand to make truly autonomous decisions if they are provided with the right information, at the right time, at the right place, by the right persons, and in the right way. Health system, economic, and cultural factors play significant roles in rendering pregnant adolescent autonomy meaningful when deciding upon their pregnancy outcomes. Continuing pregnancies to term against one´s will or being forced to go in for an abortion are ethically unjustified. Further research is required to examine the long-term consequences of forced pregnancy terminations or births.
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