In Ghana, childbearing is the primary goal of marriage, and women are expected to begin having children shortly after they are married.

This is because children provide emotional fulfilment and social status, and can contribute to the household economy by helping with domestic and subsistence activities. As parents age, children become an important source of old age support.

Infertile women often face considerable stigmatisation, mental distress, and potential exposure to domestic violence, gossip, and social stigma can also arise.

This week, some anonymous Ghanaians confided in popular blogger and TV Show host Abena Magis to share their stories on why they faked pregnancies to either save their marriages or to make their spouses happy.

She titled such stories #FakePregnancies on her Facebook page, monitored by Ghanaweb.

One of such people is one man, who said due to several miscarriages, his wife became very paranoid and her eagerness to have a baby deepened.

"5 miscarriages in 2 years and my wife was no longer the woman I married. The last 4 and 5 pregnancies we told her to stay home. Not do heavy work and just take care of herself. It didn't work. She stopped living", he said.

He explained that "She didn't eat, she slept for hours and when she woke up will cry. She didn't watch movies, go to church, go anywhere because she'll see kids. I don't remember when I decided to get a child. I never sat down and said I will steal a baby. My wife will sometimes put a cloth around her waist. She will do this because she missed being pregnant".

Due to that, upon negotiations in one of Ghana's hospitals, a nurse and a doctor sold someone's baby to him in 4 weeks.

"It was around this time I went to a hospital and asked a nurse if I could get a baby. I don't know why I asked that. It just came out because the Bible says out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks. I was expecting her to shout at me or tell me to go. She just told me to follow her. I was scared but I met a doctor and we made the arrangements. I was shocked.

I went home. I only told my wife she'll have a baby. The nurse called me 4 weeks later and I paid her for a baby boy. He's the source of my wife's happiness now. I don't know who gave birth to our son but I don't think they'll be able to take care of him the way we have".

Read the full story below

2. Auntie Abena, pls I'm taking you as my sister. Pls, keep me anonymous. No one should know it's me. I want to share my story about the fake pregnancy and what it can make people do.

My wife and I have known each other since class 3. That's when I proposed to her to be my girlfriend. She said yes and because of that, we grew up as boyfriend-girlfriend. She's my all and I am her world.

We got married and that's when everything went wrong. Auntie, we had a son. He was so cute that every nurse came to visit him at the ward. We went home and slept. We woke up and he was dead.

It was tough on both of us but we didn't lose hope. I kept being strong for her when she got pregnant and 3 months later miscarried. 5 miscarriages in 2 years and my wife was no longer the woman I married. The last 4 and 5 pregnancies we told her to stay home. Not do heavy work and just take care of herself. It didn't work. She stopped living.

Hmm,, Kumawood movies show you witches making someone live like they're dead. She didn't eat, she slept for hours and when she woke up will cry. She didn't watch movies, go to church, go anywhere because she'll see kids.

I don't remember when I decided to get a child. I never sat down and said I will steal a baby. My wife will sometimes put a cloth around her waist. She will do this because she missed being pregnant. Sex with her was tough because she will cry when her period came. It was around this time I went to a hospital and asked a nurse if I could get a baby. I don't know why I asked that. It just came out because the Bible says out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks. I was expecting her to shout at me or tell me to go. She just told me to follow her. I was scared but I met a doctor and we made the arrangements. I was shocked.

I went home. I only told my wife she'll have a baby. The nurse called me 4 weeks later and I paid her for a baby boy. He's the source of my wife's happiness now. I don't know who gave birth to our son but I don't think they'll be able to take care of him the way we have.

No auntie. Our families never doubted us. My sister saw my wife wearing a cloth but didn't ask anything. We were always praying she doesn't lose the baby so will never say anything but pray. Everyone was happy and took our explanation that we didn't want anyone to know before we were sure our baby won't die. Our boy is 2 auntie. We are a happy family because of him.