Induced Abortion in a Ghanaian Family

There is considerable evidence that induced abortions account for a great deal of decline in birth rate or slowing down of growth in birth rate in a number of countries such as Japan, USSR, Hungary, other East European countries, Korea, Taiwan, Chile, and Uruguay. Tietze and Lewit (1969: 21) wrote: Abortion is still most wide-spread, and most clandestine method of fertility control in modern world. In Ghana public opinion also suggests that induced abortion is most widespread method of fertility control.* Whether this is true is difficult to ascertain, because induced abortion in Ghana is certainly, as Tietze and Lewit wrote, the most clandestine method. It is forbidden by law and is generally condemned by people. Usually, therefore, abortionsi are performed in secret, which renders research extremely difficult. Ironically, however, secret character of abortion makes need of investigation even more urgent, because illegally performed abortions tend to cause gravest medical complications. To my knowledge, no one has yet made a scientific estimate concerning how often and under what circumstances induced abortion occurs in Ghana, and what its consequences are. I do not intend to make such an attempt either. My sole intention is to look at induced abortion in context of a single Akan matrilineage in order to gain a more realistic insight into conditions that lead to abortion, ways it is practiced, and reaction to it by people concerned. This paper will, therefore, have little value for demographers who require statistical evidence. At best it may suggest a number of hypotheses about incidence of induced abortion in Ghana and thus encourage further research.