During the Dissemination of the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey 2022 report, the Ghana Statistical Service shared details of critical issues such as fertility rates and teenage pregnancy, particularly in rural areas.
Highlighting findings from the report, it was revealed that the Savanna region recorded the highest average births per woman, standing at 5.8, while the Greater Accra region reported the lowest at 2.9.
Addressing regional disparities, the Deputy government statistician, Faustina Frempong-Ainguah stated, “When you look across the country, my region, the Savanna region, is topping at 5.8. And you see there’s northeast, and Northern.” They emphasized the need for targeted interventions in regions with higher fertility rates, such as the Savanna region, to reduce the overall national average.
Furthermore, the Deputy statistician mentioned a correlation between education levels and fertility rates. She says individuals with lower education levels tend to have higher fertility rates compared to those with higher education levels, encouraging higher education attainment as a potential strategy to limit fertility rates.
Regarding teenage pregnancy, alarming statistics were shared, particularly in the Savanna region, where approximately 26% of teenage girls were already pregnant.
Dr. Frempong-Ainguah therefore highlighted the urgent need for targeted policies and interventions to address teenage pregnancy and fertility rates.
