{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,22]],"date-time":"2026-07-22T06:07:18Z","timestamp":1784700438301,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,22]],"date-time":"2026-07-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784678400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Reprod. Health"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Unsafe abortion remains a critical public health challenge among young women in Ghana, persisting despite the relatively liberal provisions of PNDC Law 102.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Aim<\/jats:title>\n This qualitative study explored perceived factors associated with unsafe abortion among women aged 15\u201325 years in the Bongo District, Upper East Region, focusing on contraceptive knowledge and use, health-system access, and socio-cultural determinants.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n Thirty-four women from five communities in Bongo District were recruited through purposive sampling and interviewed using a semi-structured guide. Data were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Four themes were identified. First, participants perceived unsafe abortion to be common in the district. Second, contraceptive non-use was attributed less to a lack of awareness of methods than to fear of side effects, infertility, and partner disapproval. Third, formal health services were perceived as expensive, distant, and staffed by judgmental providers, which discouraged their use. Fourth, fear of family shame and expulsion from school led many young women toward cheaper, more discreet informal providers.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n Participants\u2019 accounts suggest that unsafe abortion in Bongo District reflects structural gaps in the reproductive health system, weak social support, and gaps in policy implementation, rather than a lack of individual knowledge. Findings indicate that young women in the district are generally aware of the risks of unsafe procedures but perceive themselves as having limited alternatives within their socio-cultural and religious context.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/frph.2026.1926198","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,22]],"date-time":"2026-07-22T05:56:11Z","timestamp":1784699771000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Perceived factors shaping unsafe abortion practices among young women in Bongo District, Ghana"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"8","author":[{"given":"Joel Afram","family":"Saah","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health and Allied Sciences, Regentropfen University College","place":["Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, Ghana"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Richard Opoku","family":"Asare","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"International Educated Nurses","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"130","DOI":"10.1186\/s13643-018-0775-9","article-title":"Unsafe abortion and associated factors among reproductive aged women in sub-saharan Africa: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"7","author":"Gebremedhin","year":"2018","journal-title":"Syst Rev"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.7759\/cureus.46444","article-title":"Exploring the safety and efficacy of medical termination of pregnancy: a comprehensive review","volume":"10","author":"Leichombam","year":"2022","journal-title":"SAGE Open Med"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e007151","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh-2021-007151","article-title":"Country-specific estimates of unintended pregnancy and abortion incidence: a global comparative analysis of levels in 2015\u20132019","volume":"7","author":"Bearak","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ Glob Health"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.9734\/ajpcb\/2019\/v2i114","article-title":"Is there a relationship between repeat induced abortion and current use of contraception among women in the reproductive age? 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KIU Institutional Repository\n Factors influencing unsafe abortion practices among teenagers in post abortion care ward at jinja hospital\n \n 2019"},{"key":"B7","year":"2024"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1681","DOI":"10.46743\/2160-3715\/2023.5474","article-title":"Strengthening the choice for a generic qualitative research design","volume":"28","author":"Ellis","year":"2023","journal-title":"Qual Rep"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"363","DOI":"10.1007\/s11135-018-0757-y","article-title":"Big data, qualitative style: a breadth-and-depth method for working with large amounts of secondary qualitative data","volume":"53","author":"Davidson","year":"2019","journal-title":"Qual Quant"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1186\/s12978-021-01078-y","article-title":"I was tricked\u201d: understanding reasons for unintended pregnancy among sexually active adolescent girls","volume":"18","author":"Ajayi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Reprod Health"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/16094069241229777","article-title":"Demystification and actualisation of data saturation in qualitative research through thematic analysis","volume":"23","author":"Naeem","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int J Qual Methods"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"372","DOI":"10.1108\/QRJ-08-2022-0086","article-title":"Application of guba and Lincoln\u2019s parallel criteria to assess trustworthiness of qualitative research on Indigenous social protection systems","volume":"23","author":"Enworo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Qual Res J"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1742","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-18948-2","article-title":"Exploring acceptability, opportunities, and challenges of community-based home pregnancy testing for early antenatal care initiation in rural Kenya","volume":"24","author":"Otiso","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"87","DOI":"10.1186\/s12978-024-01823-w","article-title":"Adolescent sexual and reproductive health needs and utilisation of health services in the bono east region, Ghana","volume":"21","author":"Okyere","year":"2024","journal-title":"Reprod Health"},{"key":"B15","unstructured":"Uddin\n J\n \n \n Howard University. 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