Objective: To determine the prevalence of cesarean deliveries in Burkina Faso, analyze the indications for them and the outcomes, and identify factors associated with non-absolute maternal indications for the procedure, as opposed to major obstetric interventions performed to save a woman's life.
Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we selected and analyzed cesarean deliveries among those most recently performed between May 2009 and April 2010 in all facilities in Burkina Faso. To identify the factors associated with non-absolute maternal indications, we used generalized estimating equations to take into account the clustering of data at the hospital level.
Results: The proportion of births by cesarean delivery was 1.5%, with regional variations ranging from 0.8% to 4.5%. They were performed mainly for absolute maternal indications (54.8%). Cesarean deliveries for non-absolute maternal indications were statistically more frequent in private hospitals (OR 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2-4.0), among women in urban areas (OR 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0-2.4), during scheduled cesareans, and in the absence of use of the partogram.
Conclusion: This study confirms the small proportion of cesarean deliveries in Burkina, the disparity between urban and rural areas, and the relative preponderance of absolute maternal indications for cesarean delivery.
Keywords: Burkina Faso; Cesarean delivery; Emergency obstetrics; Indications; Maternal health; Neonatal care.
Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.