Kenyan women still desire small families - report
A report shows that 6,590,000 women in Kenya are using a modern method of contraception.
Kenyan women of childbearing age still desire to have small families. This is according to the latest report by the Ministry of Health, which has attributed this to an increase in uptake of contraceptives.
The report, which was released on Thursday in celebration of World Contraception Day, notes that 46 percent (23 out of every 100) of women of reproductive age do not want more children, and may already be sterilised. The report also shows that 30 percent, who still desire children, wish to delay the next pregnancy, and that more women in rural areas than in urban areas desire more children.
The report shows that 6,590,000 women in Kenya are using a modern method of contraception, and that as a result, 2,485,000 unintended pregnancies will be prevented. As a result of the use of contraception, MOH notes that 669,000 unsafe abortions will be averted, while 7,300 maternal deaths will be averted.
According to the report, Nyeri and Embu counties are the leading counties with the highest uptake of contraceptives, with seven out of every 10 women in these counties having a contraceptive. Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit and Garissa counties have the lowest contraceptive use, with between zero to 14 in every 100 women using a contraceptive method.
Tana River, West Pokot, Samburu and Kwale recorded Low modern contraceptive use, translating to between 20 and 30 percent.
The report shows that at least 63 out of every 100 married women in Kenya aged between 15 and 49 use a method of contraception.
According to the ministry, most women (62 percent) get their contraception from public health facilities, while about one third (33 percent) use private providers such as pharmacies. The MOH also notes that the use of contraception rises with education and wealth, and varies by region within the country.
However, besides family planning and availability of contraceptives, Kenyan women's desire for smaller families is driven by a complex interplay of socioeconomic, educational, and cultural factors. The overall fertility rate in Kenya has been steadily declining, reflecting these changing preferences.
Lilian Njeri, a 30-year-old women living in Nairobi, says that her desire for only two children stems from the harsh economic pressures and a desire to progress her career.
“The rising cost of raising children, particularly the cost of education, healthcare, and urban living, makes large families a greater financial burden. I would love to give my children the best possible lives, which means I need to invest more resources into fewer children. Besides, life in general has also become costlier,” she says.
“It's about having that space to grow career wise. My mother-in-law's life was centred solely on her children. My life is richer for my children, but it's not limited by them. This generation has realised that our roles in society evolve beyond primarily childbearing and rearing, and so many of us pursue employment and professional careers. These new aspirations are what guide the size of our families now,” she adds.
Roselyn Nekesa also echoes Njeri’s sentiments about the high cost of living.
“Families now want a number of children they can take care of comfortably. It’s a painful but necessary choice. It is also our bodies and careers that pay the price for the large families the men dream of. The burden is ours, so the ultimate choice has to be ours,” she said.
According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey statistics, almost everyone (99 percent) has heard of at least one modern contraceptive method, with the most popular methods among married women being injectable (20 percent), implants (19 percent), and pills (eight percent).
