The total fertility rate in Ghana has decreased from 4 children per woman recorded in 2014 to 3 in 2022.
This is according to the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey which further revealed that 15% of teenage girls between 15-19 years have ever been pregnant particularly in the Savannah Region.
Industry players have described the trends presented as worrying.
The report also indicated that 3% of women were married before age 15 with just a percentage of boys also marrying before age 15. 16% of women and 2% of men between the ages of 20-24 were married before 18 years.
With reference to couples, 30% of married women indicated that they wanted to delay childbearing while 38% of men also indicated same.
30% of married women and 27% of married men were also reluctant about having more children.
The report suggested that wealth and education were determining factors influencing decisions and choices about fertility and family planning methods.
Modern and traditional family planning methods were also explored in the report revealing that 28% of married women and 23% of all women between the 15-49 years used foreign family planning methods in 2022.
10% of women age 15-49 used emergency contraception in the last 12 months while 92% of male condom users and 81% of pill users also obtained their family planning method from private medical outlets.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu
