The uptake of modern contraceptives has increased by 15% in Kilifi county, possibly contributing to decline in unwanted pregnancies as reported by Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA), a reproductive health surveys’ agency.
Latest Survey conducted by PMA indicates that the use of family planning services increased from 34% in 2014 to 49% in 2022 in women aged 15-49 years in Kilifi.
PMA conducted research on Family planning use in 11 counties in Kenya through physical door-to door survey, family planning centers and government facilities to come up with the report.
Speaking to the media after presenting the 2022 Kilifi county family planning survey at Silver Palm hotel in Kilifi, PMA senior researcher Professor Peter Gichangi however said that there is still need to address the challenges hindering women in using modern contraceptives.
He said that only 40% of women in Kilifi county have received Comprehensive information on family planning adding that it is important to educate the women on the methods and the side effects before using the services.
“There is a significant increase in the uptake of modern contraceptives but there still exists a huge gap including low comprehensive counselling which is concrete information about the usage of the services and their possible side effects”, Gichangi said.
He said that the stock levels of the family planning methods in the county are low, a challenge that also needs to be addressed in order to increase the use of family planning services.
Gichangi said that despite the escalated Gender Based Violence which in the past was reported to be a hindrance in family planning uptake among women in the county, a number of women who have undergone GBV have reported the cases.
He also said that some women are using the traditional family planning methods, a challenge that sometimes contribute to unwanted pregnancies.
“Kilifi county has done so well in access and use of family planning. 30 % of 15-19 years were sexually active at the time of research and a number of them did not want to engage in first sexual intercourse and a few that have had first sex said they are using the contraceptives. 65 % of the girls wanted to prevent pregnancies”, he said.
Speaking to the media during the event, Kilifi County Reproductive Health Coordinator Kenneth Miriti said that 2.6% of women in Kilifi county are using the traditional methods of family planning.
“We do encourage married couples to use the natural family planning methods because they do not have any side effects”, Miriti said.
Miriti reported that the numbers of teenage pregnancies have reduced from 14.2% in 2021 to 13.8% in 2022.
He said that Kilifi county is soon establishing special pre-conception clinics in order to address the issues of unwanted pregnancies among married and unmarried couples.
“Before couples conceive babies, they will be advised on the best methods to use in family planning. If you look keenly, 34 % of pregnancies reported are unwanted not because they are early or late pregnancies but because they did not plan to get the babies”, he said.
According to Miriti, recent survey reveals that a high percentage of women in Kilifi are engaging their male partners in family planning methods.
He however discouraged women not to use e-pills as a method of family planning due to their side effects compared to other methods.
“We discourage, not only girls but also married couples not to use E-pills frequently. Any woman using E-pills more than 3 times in a year is at risk of developing endometriosis, frequent menstrual bleeding and hormonal imbalance”, he informed.
He noted that in Kilifi county, most women are using the 3-month injection method of family planning
Ends
Photos By Treeza Auma
- Performance Monitoring Action (PMA) senior researcher Prof.Peter Gichangi presenting Kilifi survey report on family planning at Silver Palm hotel in Kilifi.
- Kilifi county government, national government and non-governmental organization health officials during family planning report presentation by Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) at Silver Palm hotel.
- Kilifi county government, national government and non-governmental organization health officials during family planning report presentation by Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) at Silver Palm hotel.
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