Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso: Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age was 21.0% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Burkina Faso, 1993–2022
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of married women ages 15-49.
Analysis
In 2022, unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Burkina Faso stood at 21.0%.
The figure is up 35.7% on the previous year and down 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Burkina Faso peaked at 37.8% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 15.5%, in 2021.
That places Burkina Faso 21st out of 58 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.
Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Burkina Faso, year by year
| Year | % of married women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 24.6% | — |
| 1999 | 30.3% | +23.2% |
| 2003 | 29.8% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 24.5% | -17.8% |
| 2014 | 37.8% | +54.2% |
| 2015 | 31.2% | -17.5% |
| 2016 | 28.4% | -9.0% |
| 2017 | 27.8% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 22.7% | -18.3% |
| 2020 | 26.2% | +15.3% |
| 2021 | 15.5% | -40.8% |
| 2022 | 21.0% | +35.7% |
Burkina Faso compared with similar countries
- Burkina Faso's 21.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 21.2%, 99% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Burkina Faso's 21.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.0%, 96% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 27.5% | 24.6% | 30.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 29.8% | 29.8% | 29.8% | 1 |
| 2010s | 28.7% | 22.7% | 37.8% | 6 |
| 2020s | 20.9% | 15.5% | 26.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Burkina Faso
More gender data for Burkina Faso
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 10,122 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.3191 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 16,608 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 16,608 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.13 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 348,221 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 359,281 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 339,937 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 349,490 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 332,922 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Burkina Faso?
- Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Burkina Faso was 21.0% in 2022, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The highest recorded value was 37.8% in 2014.
- What is the lowest unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.5% in 2021.
- How does Burkina Faso rank for unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age?
- Burkina Faso ranks 21st out of 58 countries with data for 2022.
- Is unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age rising or falling in Burkina Faso?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Burkina Faso data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Fertile, married women of reproductive age (ages 15-49) who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.