'Baby mamas' in Urban Ghana: an exploratory qualitative study on the factors influencing serial fathering among men in Accra, Ghana

BackgroundBiological fathering, especially in patrilineal societies, was traditionally acceptable only in the context of marriage to the mother of the child. Many men were polygynous, often staying in one household with all their wives and children. However, this phenomenon has been on the decline in recent times, mainly due to Christianity, which encourages monogamy while frowning on polygyny. The Ghanaian family has for the past few years been undergoing changes due to migration, urbanization, and industrialization. With an increase in non-marital births and the dissolution of marital unions, multi-partner fertility is likely to increase. Contemporary Ghanaian perspectives on the circumstances that lead men to engage in paternal multi-partner fertility, otherwise referred to in this study as serial fathering, are scanty, hence this study examines the factors that lead to serial fathering among Ghanaian men.MethodsThe study employed the qualitative method, using in-depth interviews with twenty (20) serial fathers and a focus group discussion with seven (7) women.ResultsIt was found that factors such as the attitude of women in relationships, the duolocal post-marital residential pattern, and the age at first birth are some of the reasons why some men father children with multiple partners.ConclusionThe study concludes that both situational and personal factors account for the phenomenon of serial fathering amongst men in Prampram, Ghana, and these factors bring about distinctions in serial fathering as occurring either within or outside of marriage. Plain Language SummaryIn Ghana, men are increasingly having children with numerous women, whom they refer to as their "baby mamas." Contemporary Ghanaian viewpoints on the factors that motivate males to engage in this behavior are minimal. Consequently, this study examines the factors that predispose Ghanaian men to father children by multiple women. In-depth interviews with twenty (20) serial fathers and a focus group discussion with seven (7) women from Prampram, a suburb of Accra, Ghana, were utilized in this qualitative study. The results of the study show that men had children with different women due to the negative attitudes of women, which pushed them to frequently change partners. The lack of a friendly relationship with in-laws, duolocal residence patterns, the non-observance of marriage rites, the young age of the first birth, and a continual need for companionship and sexual satisfaction were all factors that contributed to the practice. If these factors are addressed, it is anticipated that the prevalence of "baby mamas" in Ghanaian society will decrease significantly. This study also shows that family therapists and counselors should consider involving male clients' spouses when counseling them about having many "baby mamas."