Accra: When Naomi Abena Obeng, the 2018 winner of Ghana Most Beautiful, discovered she was pregnant for the first time, her initial excitement was quickly overshadowed by severe physical challenges. Known popularly as Abena, she shared her experiences during a motherhood series with MzGee, ahead of her annual Convergence of Mothers conference.
According to Ghana Web, Abena initially mistook her pregnancy symptoms for malaria. 'I didn't know I was pregnant at first. I thought I had malaria or something. I couldn't eat. I couldn't even drink water. Anytime I tried, I would just throw up. It was that bad,' she recounted. This phase left her visibly malnourished as her body rejected even basic nourishment. At just 21, the unanticipated physical demands of the transition into motherhood were overwhelming.
While her first pregnancy was challenging, her second experience was remarkably different. 'I could eat. I didn't even feel like I was pregnant,' she explained, noting the milder symptoms. However, her third pregnancy reverted to the difficulties of her first, reinforcing her understanding that 'every child brings different symptoms.' Abena dismissed common beliefs that pregnancy experiences are determined by the baby's gender.
Now a mother of three, Abena uses her experiences to advocate for women, creating platforms for them to share their stories through her annual gathering.