“Everyone has their own problems and realities so the religious community cannot judge someone.” Contraception motivations and perceived consequences among young women who practice a religion in Burkina Faso

Fiacre Bazie, ISSP-UJKZ
Ilene Speizer, Maternal and Child Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Amelia Maytan-Joneydi, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Boukary Kindo, ISSP-UJKZ
Troaré Moh Fatimata , ISSP-UJKZ
Balki Ibrahim Agali, Groupe de Recherche et d'Action pour le Développement
Yentema Onadja, Institut supérieur des sciences de la population
Georges Guiella, Institut Supérieur des Sciences de La Population de L’Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo

Numerous factors at the individual, interpersonal, and societal levels are related to contraceptive use among youth. Little is known about the role of religion as an individual and community-level influencer of contraceptive use. Using in-depth interviews with 24 young women who practice their religion in Burkina Faso, this study examines motivations and perceived consequences of contraceptive use. This study demonstrates that the young women who practice their religion perceived that their religion was not supportive of contraceptive use. A few exceptions were provided, including perceived acceptance of use for married women. Contraceptive use were not acceptable by any of the religions for unmarried young women. That said, young women reported their motivations for use that often related to their and their children’s health and the realities of life. Contraceptive use was considered a private matter which meant that the religious community would not find out about women’s use.