Author(s)

Nestor Bationo¹, Noufou G. Nana¹, Adama Ouattara², Patrice A. Ngangue¹, Dieudonné Soubeiga¹, Ahmed Kabore², Maxime Drabo³

¹Institut de Formation et de Recherche Interdisciplinaires en Sciences de la Santé et de l’Education, Ouagadougou, Burkina-Faso.
²Université Joseph Ki-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina-Faso.
³Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, Ouagadougou, Burkina-Faso.

Despite the complications related to the caesarean section, some couples choose it by desirability. This study aimed to understand the reasons for maternal requests for a planned caesarean section in Burkina Faso, in the absence of obstetric indications. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in March 2019, consisting of twelve semi-structured interviews with women requesting caesarean section at Tingandogo Teaching Hospital in Burkina Faso. The operative reports were also examined. Thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke approach was performed with QDA Miner software. Twelve patients were involved in the study. The mean age was 33 years. The majority had a higher level of education. Half were employees. The mean stay duration was 72 hours, with an estimated cost of CFA 300.000 (457,347 EUR). The choice of a planned caesarean was motivated by fear of birth (tokophobia), the positive feeling associated to the surgical technology, the doctor-patient relationship and the confidence in the quality of healthcare services such as reception and hygiene. Maternal reasons for requesting a planned caesarean section in Burkina Faso are multifactorial. Information, education and communication and shared decision-making strategies concerning the different modes of delivery and complications at the end of pregnancy, may contribute to reducing this problem.

Caesarean Section, Maternal Request, Qualitative Study, Tokophobia, Burkina-Faso

Bationo, N. , Nana, N. , Ouattara, A. , Ngangue, P. , Soubeiga, D. , Kabore, A. and Drabo, M. (2022) Why Do Pregnant Women Choose a Planned Caesarean Section in Burkina Faso? A Qualitative Study. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 12, 408-416. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2022.125037.