Passing as “Normal”: Adolescent Girls’ Strategies for Escaping Stigma of Premarital Sex and Childbearing in Ghana

Abstract

Premarital sex and premarital childbearing is a source of stigma in many African communities and can negatively affect adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health experiences. This study seeks to provide insight into the strategies adolescent girls adopt to avoid stigmatization due to premarital sex and/or childbearing by their community members and families. Using a mixed methods approach, data were collected from a survey of 500 adolescent girls out of which 20 were purposively selected for in-depth interviews. The strategies adopted by adolescent girls to avoid stigma varied based on the pregnancy status of girls, that is whether they have never had a child (nonpregnant [NP]) or had ever had a child (ever-pregnant [EP]). To avoid stigma associated with premarital sex, some NP girls abstained from sex and others who were sexually active either kept their relationships secret or used contraceptives secretly. For the EP girls, some tried to minimize stigma to premarital childbearing by going back to school after childbirth or learning a trade or a vocation. Some EP girls also got married to the fathers of their babies to avoid stigma. Overall, the desire to feel accepted by community members pushed adolescent girls to adopt strategies to avoid the stigma associated with premarital sex and childbearing. It is recommended that there should be creation of awareness for community members on the need to support adolescent girls to minimize the risk they may be predisposed to in their sexual and reproductive health.