Maternal mortality by direct obstetric causes in an urban referral hospital: case of Boulmiougou District Hospital in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Background: Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the leading causes of death and disability for women of childbearing age. Objective of this study was to study maternal mortality of direct obstetric origin at the Boulmiougou district hospital from 2010 to 2014.Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study of maternal deaths by direct obstetric cause at the maternity ward of Boulmiougou District Hospital during the period from January 1st 2010 to December 31st, 2014, i.e. 5 years.Results: The maternal mortality rate by direct obstetric cause of 147.68 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The average age of the patients was 27.09 years old. The direct causes of maternal death were hemorrhage (47.06%), hypertensive disorders (20.59%), infections (14.71%) and unsafe abortion (11.76%). Contributing factors to maternal deaths were delay in evacuation (47.06%) and delay in care (38.23%).Conclusions: Maternal mortality remains high in the Boulmiougou District Hospital. To effectively combat maternal mortality, it is important to focus on the continuous training of staff and the strengthening of the technical platform.

Knowledge and practice of emergency contraception among female students of public university of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, West Africa

Background: Female students are exposed to unsafe sex, sources of unwanted pregnancy and abortions. It is recognized that emergency contraception can effectively prevent pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and practices of Ouagadougou public university students in relation to emergency contraception in order to propose solutions to reduce the proportion of unwanted pregnancies among female students.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between May 1st and October 31st, 2016 in the public universities of Ouagadougou. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 732 students randomly selected.Results: The average age of female students was 22.7 years old. The age group 19 to 24 was the most represented (68.03%). Of the students surveyed, 87% knew or had heard of emergency contraception. The students only used the emergency contraceptive pill. The emergency contraceptive use rate was 44.42%. Approximately, 83% of users were aware of the delay in using emergency contraception. The reasons for using emergency contraception were condom breakage (25.10%) and unprotected sex (74.9%). Female students purchased the contraceptive directly in pharmacies (93.61%).Conclusions: Emergency contraception gives women a last chance to avoid an unwanted pregnancy after unprotected sex.  Awareness and free availability of emergency contraception (EC) could improve the reproductive health of female students.

Une grossesse hétérotopique de 36 semaines de découverte fortuite au centre hospitalier universitaire régional de Ouahigouya (Burkina Faso)

Nous rapportons un cas de découverte fortuite chez une patiente de 26 ans, reçue pour douleurs abdomino-pelviennes sur grossesse présumée gémellaire de 33 SA. Aucune échographie obstétricale n'avait été réalisée avant son admission. Deux échographies tardives ont objectivé une grossesse gémellaire intra utérine avec hydramnios. Une césarienne à 36 semaines indiquée pour grossesse gémellaire avec hydramnios et anémie sévère a été réalisée au cours de laquelle nous avons découvert une grossesse intra-utérine et une grossesse abdominale avec insertion du placenta au niveau du ligament large gauche avec adhérence sur l'annexe gauche, l'épiploon et les anses grêles.Les nouveau-nés étaient bien portant. J1 intra utérin avait un poids de 2650 g et J2 abdominal de 2000g. Les suites ont été simples