Abstract:
Objectives: Unintended pregnancy presents a crisis situation with limited options for resolution. Abortion appears to be a
commonly chosen option but is stigmatized in many societies including Ghana. Keeping a child from an unintended pregnancy
is also unsuitable for many people. Carrying through with the pregnancy and placing the child up for adoption is a potential
management option but there is scanty literature on how viable this option is to women globally including Ghana. The study
sought to assess acceptability of this option and its barriers and facilitators in Ghana.
Methods: This study was a part of a bigger analytical cross-sectional study on unintended pregnancy in Kumasi conducted
in three centres from January to April 2014. Exit interviews were conducted for 461 consenting women to capture data
on demography, reproductive profile and acceptability of giving up a child from an unintended pregnancy for adoption.
Frequencies, proportions and means were computed and presented in tables.
Results: Over 85% of respondents would not give up their children for adoption as a way to manage their unintended
pregnancy, whereas about 6% were undecided. A need for the child to grow up in a two-parent home was considered
more important than the financial security of the adoptive parents while disappointment from family and friends came up as
marked barrier to adoption.
Conclusions: Keeping a pregnancy and placing the child up for adoption is presently not ideal for managing an unintended
pregnancy crisis. More education is needed to increase awareness of adoption as an option in resolving this crisis while
continued efforts are made at primary prevention through using contraceptives. The complex adoption process must be
made friendly for women with unintended pregnancies who neither desire parenting nor abortion.
