Across Ghana, maternal health data tells a sobering truth: too many women begin the journey of pregnancy alone, unsupported, unprepared and often uninformed.
The men who were once present are now gone. Absent from antenatal visits, delivery rooms and, most importantly, from their shared responsibility.
In my work, I have learnt to listen carefully to what is said and what isn’t. The silence of abandonment is loud. And here’s the hard truth: many of these men came for the fun of it, not for the future.
This is not about casting blame. It is about awakening awareness. It is about empowering women, especially young women, to understand that love without responsibility is not love, it is risk.
In 2022, 71,000 adolescent girls in Ghana became pregnant, many without support from their partners. A 2021 UNFPA report shows that a significant number of these pregnancies were unplanned and occurred without access to or knowledge of contraception.
Over 60 percent of the pregnant women we serve at our TTYM Global marketplace clinic attend alone, reporting little to no involvement from the father of the baby.
This trend points to a deeper issue that reproductive decisions are often made without full consent, information or intention from both parties; and women are left to carry the consequences.
My women, you owe it to yourself to take charge of your reproductive health. Don’t wait for a man to decide when or if you should become a mother.
Don’t leave your body unprotected while someone else enjoys the moment and exits before the reality sets in. Use family planning. Talk to a midwife.
Ask the questions. There are safe, effective and affordable contraceptive options available – pills, injectables, implants, IUDs, condoms and emergency contraception. These are not tools of shame; they are tools of power, dignity and freedom.
Reproductive autonomy is your right
Reproductive autonomy means having the power to choose if, when and under what circumstances you want to become a parent. It means deciding your future, not surrendering it to someone else’s fleeting intentions.
When you prioritise your health, you protect your dreams. When you use contraception, you give yourself time to grow emotionally, financially and physically before stepping into motherhood.
When you ask the right questions early, you reduce the risk of being left behind.
Take charge today!
