Abortion in Burkina Faso is only legal in the following circumstances;
Even these abortions are limited to the first ten weeks of pregnancy.[1]
In Burkina Faso, any abortion performed under other conditions subjects the person who performs the procedure subject to one to five years imprisonment and imposition of a fine of 300,000 to 1,500,000 CFA francs.[2]
In the early 1990s, at least 5% of women admitted into healthcare facilities formaternal health concerns had life-threatening complications fromunsafe abortions, and 70% of these women were between 16 and 24 years of age.[2] During the same time period, 35% of women who sought medical treatment forinfertility had previously been recipients of an illegal abortion.[2]
The inability to receive treatment for abortion complications can have severe repercussions, as abortion complications contribute 10-18% of maternal mortality, which at 330 per 100,000 births remains well above SDG 2030 goals. Women’s abortion experiences are considerably shaped by structural inequities related to gender and wealth.[3]
