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Article History

Received: 17 January 2024

Accepted: 8 January 2025

First Online: 27 January 2025

Declarations

:

: All ethical standards that guide the conduct of research involving humans were followed. First, copies of the research proposal were submitted to the University of Cape Coast Institutional Review Board (UCC-IRB) for assessment and ethical clearance. After obtaining the approval, an introductory letter from the Department of Population and Health and the UCC-IRB approval letter with ethical clearance -ID: (UCCIRB/CHLRB/2019/09) were given to the KEEA Municipal Health Directorate and permission was obtained from the public health officer who granted permission to carry out the study in the selected communities.Also, consent was sought from the respondents/teenage mothers before interviewing them. Written and oral informed consents were obtained from their parents or guardians as well as the teenage mothers themselves before interviewing them. In addition to this, the investigators identified themselves to the participants to avoid false impressions. The investigators briefed them about the purpose of the study, the participation concept, the data collection approach, the informed consent form, and every item on the instrument (guide).Again, before any interview took place, teenage mothers (the participants) who could read in English were given a written consent form to read and freely decide to participate in the study by signing. On the other hand, with those who could not read, the interviewer read the informed consent form to them in the language they best understood and made sure that the respondents agreed to participate and thumb-printed the consent form before interviews were conducted and tape-recorded. After every interview, the recorded voice and field notes were stored/kept safely to conform to the ethics of confidentiality. Further, participation in the study was not made compulsory. Participants were informed that their participation was completely voluntary; confidentiality and anonymity were fully assured and respected. No information could be revealed or identified about the participants. Pseudonyms were used instead of real names.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interest