Dimensions of women's decision-making power and the influence on quality early prenatal care in Burkina Faso

Access to prenatal care in Burkina Faso does not always comply with WHO standards and guidelines, and many maternal deaths could have been avoided if these guidelines had been adhered to. Early initiation of prenatal care plays a critical role in identifying health problems and providing timely solutions. The woman's status within the household is likely to affect her access to such care. This paper aims to analyse the effects of the dimensions of decision-making power of women who are married and living with their partners on the quality of early prenatal care in Burkina Faso. With data from the 2021 Burkina Faso Demographic and Health Survey, the study uses binary probit, recursive bivariate probit model, and robustness methods to assess this relationship. The results show that most women involved in household decision-making have access to quality early prenatal care. The proportions range from 54 % to 58 % for all dimensions. The econometric estimates indicate that the dimensions of women's decision-making power significantly affect the quality of early prenatal care. These results appear to be relatively robust to concerns about selection and endogeneity biases. The study confirms the assertion that the status of women within the household is significantly related to maternal healthcare in developing countries. Policymakers in Burkina Faso must not only implement direct maternal health interventions but also focus on broader policies that aim to strengthen women's decision-making power within the household.