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Using a qualitative approach, this paper explores the accounts of 30 women who accessed assisted reproductive technology treatment in five fertility hospitals in Ghana. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data on women's experiences of the procedure. Findings indicated that most of the women sought ART treatment to save their relationships from collapsing, with pressure and demands from friends and in-laws as key motivating factors. Women complained of emotional imbalance and the high cost of ART treatment. They felt compelled to borrow money from friends, family and banks and, sometimes sold assets to pay for treatment costs. Health consequences such as depression, changes in menstrual flow, weight loss, body pain, breast tenderness, bleeding and disruption to daily activities and sexual life were reported as problems encountered by the women. While study findings are supportive of the inclusion of infertility treatment in the national health insurance scheme, more adequate counselling and education for women undergoing ART treatment is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual violence against women is commonly justified in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) despite international commitments to halt it. This study investigated the association between healthcare decision-making capacity and the justification of sexual violence among women in SSA. We used current datasets of 30 sub-Saharan African countries published between January 2010 and December 2018. The sample included 259,885 women who were in sexual unions. We extracted and analysed the data with Stata version 14. Chi-square test and multilevel logistic regression models were used to analyse the data. Results for the regression analysis were presented as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The results showed that women who decided on their healthcare alone had lower odds [AOR=0.93; CI=0.91–0.96] of justifying sexual violence compared to those who were not deciding alone. We also found that women aged 45-49 [AOR=0.85; CI=0.82-0.89], those with higher education [AOR=0.26; CI=0.24-0.29], cohabiting women (AOR=0.82, CI=0.80-0.85], richest women [AOR= 0.58; CI=0.56-0.60], women living in urban areas [AOR=0.74; CI=0.73-0.76], and Christians [AOR=0.52; CI=0.51-0.54] had lower odds of justifying wife beating if a woman refuses to have sex with her partner. On the contrary, women who engaged in agriculture had higher odds of justifying sexual violence than those who were not working [AOR=1.07; CI=1.04-1.09]. Groups that should be prioritised with anti-sexual violence initiatives are the poor, rural residents, and young women. It is also vital to institute policies and interventions focused on educating men about women's right to make decisions, and why partner violence is unjust and intolerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]