Health professionals in Ghana have issued a sharp plea to expectant mothers to attend antenatal clinics regularly, warning that skipping routine check‑ups can lead to life‑threatening complications.
The message was delivered during an interview with the Ghana News Agency, as the Ayewamu by Jane restaurant celebrated its seventh anniversary by visiting hospitals to settle medical bills for mothers who could not afford deliveries.
Ghana’s maternal mortality ratio stood at 234 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023, according to WHO and its UN partners. Globally, 260,000 women died during or after pregnancy that year, most of them preventable.
Ms Mabel Osei‑Owusu, In‑Charge of the Maternity Lying‑In Ward at Achimota Hospital, highlighted a recent case where a woman arrived in labour without the required laboratory tests or scans, resulting in a severe cervical tear and heavy bleeding. She stressed that early antenatal care had the potential to spot such risks and avert dire outcomes.
Osei‑Owusu urged that antenatal services are free and that husbands and family members play a crucial role in encouraging attendance and understanding the importance of the tests and scans offered.
Senior Midwifery Officer Emma Nyacsikor of Greater Accra Regional Hospital added that birth preparedness should include financial planning and securing essential delivery items, alongside regular clinic visits.
The collective appeal underscores that routine antenatal attendance, early risk identification, birth readiness, and family support are key to reducing avoidable maternal deaths.
Health workers now urge expectant mothers to seek early antenatal care and heed professional advice throughout pregnancy to safeguard both mother and baby.
