Understanding change in abortion practice in Ouagadougou

In Burkina Faso, abortion is legally restricted. It is permitted only in some few cases (incest, rape, fetal defect or when the woman's life is endangered). Socially, the practice is censured and women are often stigmatized when they have an abortion. To estimate the prevalence of abortion, two surveys are conducted since 2001. Two methodologies are used to estimate abortion incidence: the Health Facility Complications Method (HFCM) and the Anonymous Third Party Reporting (ATPR) method (Rossier C., 2006). It is found that the rate of abortion was high in Ouagadougou in 2002 and 60% of women who had an abortion had adverse health consequences, and 14% were treated in hospitals (Guiella. G, 2006).

The first data cover Ouagadougou (2001) and the second one all the country (2009). These two data sources permit the analysis of the trend and the change in Ouagadougou. With a method of analysis of change (decomposition method), we want to understand where the change comes and how it appends. An analysis of women’s attitude and opinions related to abortion will give us a good understanding of the change.