Men aged 20 to 36 years responsible for 86% of adolescent pregnancies in Tema Manhean

The Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate has revealed that about 86 per cent of adolescent pregnancies in Tema Manhean, are caused by men aged between 20 and 39 years.

Ms Doris Ocansey, the Adolescent Health Focal Person for the Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), saying, her outfit’s conclusion was based on research into the background of the men impregnating these girls in the metropolis, especially Tema Manhean. 

Ms Ocansey said, “We collected the data so that we can also focus on the adults since they are impregnating the girls.” 

She said looking at the age difference between the two parties, it was obvious that the adolescent girls could not demand the use of condoms to prevent pregnancies. 

The data also revealed that most of the pregnant girls were junior high school graduates who were yet to get any training to make them economically stable and empower them against getting pregnant, she said. 

Ms Ocansey cautioned the men to leave the adolescent girls alone to enable them to focus on their education, and careers instead of impregnating them at a tender age. 

She indicated that between January and December 2023 a total of 355 pregnant adolescents, made up of 24 aged between 10 and 14, and 331 aged between 15 and 19 years, were enrolled in the safety net programme in the municipality, explaining that the programme helps health officials track and follow through the pregnancy with the girls till delivery. 

“For some of the girls, this was not their first pregnancy, but their second or third. We want to stop that, so if you make the mistake of getting pregnant, you won’t have to fall back into it again,” she said. 

She explained that the safety net programme was aimed at reducing repeated pregnancies among adolescents, reducing maternal mortality and mobility, and increasing post-partum family planning. 

Ms Ocansey said out of the number enrolled, 42 were in school when they were pregnant, adding that four were in primary school, 26 in junior high school, and 12 in senior high school. 

She indicated that 97 of the pregnant adolescent girls were out of school, while 206 had completed school. 

The adolescent focal person said that to ensure that girls do not become ideal after delivery and engage in transactional sex, they help them decide whether to go back to school, learn a vocation, or engage in trade. 

She said that at the end of December 2023, 108 of the girls had decided to return to school after delivery; 146 had also opted to learn a vocation; 30 wanted to go into trading; and 37 were undecided on the path they wanted to take after delivery. 

Source: GNA 

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