Birth-Preparedness for Maternal Health: Findings from Koupela District, Burkina Faso (Survey‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Maternal mortality is a substantial burden in developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 500,000-600,000 women die from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications each year, with 99% of these deaths occurring in developing countries (1). In sub-Saharan Africa, the maternal mortality ratio is 920 per 100,000 livebirths, and the lifetime risk of maternal death is 1 in 16 compared to 1 in 2,400 in Europe (1). Improving maternal mortality has received recognition at the global level as evidenced by the inclusion of reducing maternal mortality in the Millennium Development Goals (2).