• As of 1985, Ghanaian law permits abortion in cases of rape, incest or the “defilement of a female idiot;” if the life or health of the woman is in danger; or if there is risk of fetal abnormality.
• To ensure that legal abortions are provided safely, the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health established protocols for the provision of safe abortion services. These guidelines, adopted in 2006, outline the components of comprehensive abortion care and call for expanding the base of health providers to perform first-trimester procedures.
• Ghana’s liberal law notwithstanding, as of 2007 a mere 3% of pregnant women and only 6% of those seeking an abortion were aware of the legal status of abortion.