Family Planning during the Postpartum Period in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: A Qualitative Supply and Demand Perspective

Clémentine Rossier, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)
Jacqueline Hellen, Tulane University

In Burkina Faso, fertility remains high in rural areas, but has decreased in cities, where the duration of postpartum abstinence has almost disappeared. This paper questions whether urban women of Burkina Faso are using modern contraception at the time they resume sexual relations postpartum and if not, causes of unmet need. Data are analyzed from 40 semi-structured interviews, including thirty-three females and seven males with an infant aged 24 months or younger, at seven health structures in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso between April and June 2012. Analyses show that many women have a strong desire to abstain postpartum, yet were unable to comply due to urban realities. The majority reported modern contraceptive use, yet adopted their method weeks or months after resuming sexual relations. These findings demonstrate a divergence between sexual intention and sexual practice, leading to a lack of preparation to prevent pregnancy at the time of sexual initiation postpartum.