Unmet need for contraception in Ghana
Ghana: Unmet need for contraception was 23.4% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Unmet need for contraception in Ghana, 1988–2022
Source: Household surveys, United Nations (UN), note: Household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by United Nations Population Division. Measured in % of married women ages 15-49.
Analysis
In 2022, unmet need for contraception in Ghana stood at 23.4%. That is the lowest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unmet need for contraception in Ghana peaked at 37.3% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 23.4%, in 2022.
That places Ghana 12th out of 58 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Unmet need for contraception in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % of married women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 35.2% | — |
| 1993 | 36.9% | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 34.7% | -6.0% |
| 2003 | 34.5% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 35.7% | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 26.4% | -26.1% |
| 2013 | 37.3% | +41.2% |
| 2014 | 29.9% | -19.8% |
| 2015 | 28.8% | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 32.3% | +12.1% |
| 2017 | 25.1% | -22.3% |
| 2018 | 33.6% | +34.0% |
| 2022 | 23.4% | -30.3% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 23.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 20.2%, 1.2× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 23.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.0%, 1.1× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 35.2% | 35.2% | 35.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 35.8% | 34.7% | 36.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 35.1% | 34.5% | 35.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 30.5% | 25.1% | 37.3% | 7 |
| 2020s | 23.4% | 23.4% | 23.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More health data for Ghana
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.37 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6224 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 986.1 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,361 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.5623 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.06 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.5816 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unmet need for contraception in Ghana?
- Unmet need for contraception in Ghana was 23.4% in 2022, according to Household surveys, United Nations (UN), note: Household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by United Nations Population Division.
- What is the highest unmet need for contraception recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 37.3% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unmet need for contraception recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.4% in 2022.
- How does Ghana rank for unmet need for contraception?
- Ghana ranks 12th out of 58 countries with data for 2022.
- Is unmet need for contraception rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Household surveys, United Nations (UN), note: Household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by United Nations Population Division, published as part of Unmet need for contraception (% of married women ages 15-49). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unmet need for contraception is the percentage of fertile, married women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.