Ashanti Region recorded 2,000 adolescent abortions in 2016

The Ashanti regional Deputy Health Director (Public Health), Dr Kwasi Yeboah Awudzi, has disclosed that some 2,086 adolescent abortions were recorded last year out of a total 18,461 adolescent pregnancies in the Region.

According to him, 5.8 per cent of adolescents who got pregnant and had a termination were between ages 10 and 14 while 94.1 per cent were in the 15-19 age group.

Dr Awudzi made this known at a sensitisation workshop for the media in the Ashanti Region on adolescent sexual reproductive health under the theme: "Reducing Teenage Pregnancy, A Shared Responsibility".

He said out of the total number of adolescent pregnancies, there were nine maternal deaths.

The figures, he indicated, were for adolescents who registered with antenatal clinics.

Dr Awudzi advised teenagers unable to abstain from sex to use contraceptives to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies.