NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 21 – A recent survey has revealed that contraceptive uptake among unmarried women and sexually active adolescents has gone up to 64 percent.
According to the reproductive health study which targeted women aged 15-49 years, 40 percent of the adolescents aged between 15 years to 19 years are sexually active.
“6 in 10 adolescents had curiosity as their motivation for first sex, while 1 in 10 were motivated by the influence of substance,” he reported.
International Center for Reproductive Health Kenya Principal Investigator Peter Gichagi who presented the findings on Thursday further revealed that only 16 per cent of adolescents aged 15-19 affirmed that they had discussed family planning with a healthcare provider.
Implants and injectables were found to be the most preferred form of contraceptives for more than three quarters of married women in Kenya.
Gichagi noted that although major strides have been made in facilitating contraceptive use among women in Kenya, said that there is still much that needs to be done in bridging the gap so as to ensure that no woman is left behind, after it emerged that poor women are still lagging behind.
Further data from the study also revealed that 41 percent of pregnancies remained unintended.
Gichagi said that the research, which was conducted in 11 counties, is a representation of the situation in the whole country.
The Ministry of Health’s head division for Reproductive health and maternal care Stephen Kaliti said the data is very key in informing and driving the ministry’s policies, as well as guiding Family Planning programs.
“Kenya pledged to increase the modern contraceptive prevalence rate for married women from 58 per cent to 64 per cent by 2030, such data is critical in monitoring the progress that has been made so far,” he stated.
