Reducing maternal and infant mortality, an urgent need
In Burkina Faso, pregnant women, particularly in rural areas, are not sufficiently prepared for pregnancy and lack the information needed to take care of their health. The distance to healthcare facilities, poverty, and lack of transportation often mean that expectant mothers wait until the last minute to seek medical help, a delay in treatment that increases the risk of complications and death for mothers and their babies.
Educating women to save lives
Supporting pregnant women in preparing for childbirth and emergencies helps reduce complication risks. Our unique Birth Preparation and Emergency Planner contributes to decreasing maternal and neonatal mortality by educating pregnant women about health and by helping healthcare staff to improve the quality of their consultations.
Made for women, by women
In collaboration with our local and international partners, we organized discussions with women to identify the many obstacles they face during pregnancy. We worked with them, their families and communities, to find solutions.
With their insights, we were able to develop the Birth Preparation and Emergency Planner.
From pregnancy to infant care
This 8-page illustrated brochure maps all information a mother-to-be should have before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth. The planner covers all stages from pregnancy to newborn care. It addresses every aspect, from the importance of saving money to precautions for the pregnant woman’s nutrition, medications, prenatal consultations, family planning and identifying warning signs for both the mother and the baby.
Download the Birth Preparation and Emergency Planner
An effective, low-cost tool accessible to all
The planner is understandable by all pregnant women—even those who are illiterate —thanks to the images and the many local languages in which it is translated.
It has been validated by the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso and by the World Health Organization and is currently distributed in health centers and villages by trained personnel.
The planner also improves the monitoring of pregnant women by nurses and midwives:
Informative leaflet about the planner
Aline Dédané, Midwife
The birth preparation card that we distribute to pregnant women has helped us a lot. If they experience bleeding, they now know they must come to the health center for care to prevent miscarriages.
Involving husbands and the community
The planner also helps to involve husbands and the community, as women use it to discuss the monitoring of their pregnancy and the preparation for childbirth with their family.
“When a woman comes home with the brochure, her entire family understands that the expectant mother needs help with household chores to avoid complications.” — Head Nurse of a health center.
The effectiveness of the birth preparation planner is such that the Ministry of Health in Burkina Faso now wants to distribute it to all women in the country. It is one of the essential tools used by Enfants du Monde in its health programs to combat maternal and infant mortality.
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