The 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) by the Ghana Statistical Service has indicated a rise in the rate of teenage pregnancy by 1% from 14% in the 2014 GDHS to 15% in the 2022 GDHS.
In other words, 2 in 10 women aged 15-19 had been pregnant before, at the time of the survey.
This phenomenon according to the service could be a result of the high sexual and reproductive behaviours among men and women before attaining age 15 as well as the growth rate of individuals who have their first sexual intercourse by age 18.
This rate indicates a miss in the 12% target in the Health Sector Development Plan for 2022 to 2025.
Detail of the report 202 indicates that the Savannah region has the highest rate (26%) with about 3 in 10 teenagers between 15 and 19 being pregnant. This is followed by the North East and the Ashanti regions both with 24% rates.
The Greater Accra Region had the least rate with just 6% followed by the Upper East and Bono Regions with 8% each.
Meanwhile, there has been stability in the rate of teenage mothers in Ghana as the data from the survey indicates a zero percent change from the figure in 2014.
According to the service, teenage motherhood in Ghana was at 11% of women aged 15-19 in 2014(GDHS) and has been the same in 2022(GDHS).
However, the trends show a remarkable improvement over the years as teenage motherhood has declined since 1988, from 19% to 11% in 2022.
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