Methodological approach of the spatial distribution of maternal mortality in Burkina Faso and explanatory factors associated

Abstract

Maternal mortality is one of the most important problems related to the reproductive health. This is why the reduction by three quarters of maternal mortality by 2015 has been fixed as target No. 5 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Achieving this goal requires an annual decline of 5.5% of maternal mortality between 1990 and 2015. Unfortunately, the reduction as estimated in 1997 was less than 1% per year. Africa is the continent most affected by this problem. In 2010, the number of maternal mortality in the world was estimated to 287 000 and Africa was hosting more than 52 % (148 000) of the occurrence in the world In Burkina Faso, maternal mortality ratio decreased from 566 in 1991 to 484 in 1998 and 341 in 2010 according to the DHS data while the census estimate was 307 in 2006 and United Nation agencies provided the number of 300 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births in 2010. Statistics provided by the different sources vary considerably. This situation creates confusion among data users. In addition, researches made on the issue remain very insufficient because of the complexity of the issue, lack of data and poor quality of existing data on maternal mortality. This study has been initiated to fill the gap of knowledge about the determinants and estimates of maternal mortality at national and sub-national levels. Results of this research highlighted explanatory factors of maternal mortality at national and regional level with a focus on factors of regional disparities. Findings also provided estimate by adjusting the census 2006 data from missingness and incoherences, improving the census method and testing different other methods. Finally, projection of maternal mortality level is made from 2006 to 2050.