Women's Autonomy in Maternal Healthcare Decision-Making in Urban Ghana.

This article examines women's decision-making autonomy over maternal healthcare in urban Ghana, focusing on how cultural, economic, and religious factors influence maternal health decisions within couples. Using a mixed-methods approach involving surveys, focus groups, and interviews with 163 pregnant and lactating women, their partners, and healthcare providers in the Greater Accra Region, the study finds that men predominantly dominate maternal health decisions, though variations exist where decision-making is more balanced or women-led, often linked to women's financial independence. Autonomy is limited especially in decisions about conception, number of children, and delivery location, while women have greater control over breastfeeding duration and child immunization. The findings highlight the need to address entrenched patriarchal cultural norms and economic dependencies to enhance women's autonomy and improve maternal healthcare utilization.