Outcome of Obstetric Referrals at the Bogodogo University Teaching Hospital: Context of Free Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care

Objective: To describe the epidemiological, clinical and prognostic aspects of obstetric referrals to the University teaching Hospital Bogodogo (UTH-B) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study of obstetric referrals made by peripheral health facilities to the gynecology and obstetrics department of the Bogodogo University Hospital in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The study population consisted of all patients referred from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022.

Results: During the study period, we recorded 9806 admissions for obstetric pathologies. Of these obstetric pathologies, 42.47% had been referred. The mean age of the patients was 26.11 years. Referred patients from health facilities in the city of Ouagadougou represented 96% of the sample. The reasons for referral were dominated by pre-eclampsia and eclampsia in 24.57% of cases. We recorded a total of 161 cases of maternal death, representing a case-fatality rate of 3.9%. Some 26.55% of newborns had been resuscitated and then referred to the neonatology department.

Conclusion: Despite the implementation of free emergency obstetric and neonatal care, the maternal and neonatal prognosis during obstetric referrals is guarded. It is important to look for other factors that worsen maternal and neonatal prognosis in order to take corrective measures.