10,963
edits
Gynopedia needs your support! Please consider contributing content, translating a page, or making a donation today. With your support, we can sustain and expand the website. Gynopedia has no corporate sponsors or advertisers. Your support is crucial and deeply appreciated.
Nairobi: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
→Contraception (Birth Control)
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
In Kenya, you can buy contraceptives (birth control) without a prescription. | In Kenya, you can buy contraceptives (birth control) without a prescription. | ||
Over the last decade, Kenyan women have increasingly used contraception. In 2003, it was estimated that 39.3% of Kenyan women were using some form of contraceptive, with 7.5% on hormonal birth control pills, 16% using injectables/implants and 6.3% using the rhythm method, among other methods.<ref>[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0193123.html Prevalence of Contraceptive Use in Selected Countries]</ref> Later, in 2008, it was found that 53.6% of Kenyan women used some form of modern birth control.<ref>[http://www.cecinfo.org/country-by-country-information/status-availability-database/countries/kenya/ EC Status and Availability: Kenya]</ref> Most recently, in 2015, it was found that 57.4% of Kenyan women (who were married/in unions and of reproductive age) were using some form of contraception, including traditional methods, and 18.5% had unmet family planning needs. The most common forms of contraception were injectables (28.1%), implants (10.8%), pills (8.6%) and IUDs (3.5%). There were low rates of condom usage (1.9%).<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf Trends in Contraceptive Use 2015]</ref> | Over the last decade, Kenyan women have increasingly used contraception. In 2003, it was estimated that 39.3% of Kenyan women were using some form of contraceptive, with 7.5% on hormonal birth control pills, 16% using injectables/implants and 6.3% using the rhythm method, among other methods.<ref>[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0193123.html Prevalence of Contraceptive Use in Selected Countries]</ref> Later, in 2008, it was found that 53.6% of Kenyan women used some form of modern birth control.<ref>[http://www.cecinfo.org/country-by-country-information/status-availability-database/countries/kenya/ EC Status and Availability: Kenya]</ref> Most recently, in 2015, it was found that 57.4% of Kenyan women (who were married/in unions and of reproductive age) were using some form of contraception, including traditional methods, and 18.5% had unmet family planning needs. The most common forms of contraception were injectables (28.1%), implants (10.8%), pills (8.6%) and IUDs (3.5%). There were low rates of condom usage (1.9%).<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf Trends in Contraceptive Use 2015]</ref> | ||
Traditionally, men have played a large role in family planning. Husbands may have rejected the usage of contraceptives, so birth control pills (which women needed to take everyday and were publicly visible) were not always viable.<ref>[http://www.unfpa.org/news/family-planning-kenya-not-women-only Family Planning in Kenya: Not For Women Only]</ref> In the last few years, the Kenyan government issued new guidelines around family planning and contraceptive use. According to these new guidelines, community health workers could provide contraceptive injections to women, as well as providing more activities around advocacy and awareness.<ref>[http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/More-women-Kenya-using-birth-control-/-/2558/2704266/-/42iy6j/-/index.html More women in Kenya using birth control as counties drum up support]</ref> | |||
As a result, the contraceptive usage rate began to increase. Women liked that, with contraceptive shots or implants, they didn't have to remember to take a pill everyday, and they could discreetly receive the treatment without their husbands being involved or, in some cases, even aware. In the last few years, poor women in urban centers have especially increased their contraceptive use.<ref>[http://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/DN2/Use-of-contraceptives-on-the-rise-among-Kenya-s-urban-poor/957860-3050450-mtejyi/index.html Use of contraceptives on the rise among Kenya’s urban poo]</ref> However, the community workers still feel that there's plenty of work to do. Women in more rural or remote areas still have very low contraceptive use (for example, 2% of women in Mandera and Wajir counties were reported to use contraception).<ref>[http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/More-women-Kenya-using-birth-control-/-/2558/2704266/-/42iy6j/-/index.html More women in Kenya using birth control as counties drum up support]</ref> | |||
===What to Get & Where to Get It=== | ===What to Get & Where to Get It=== | ||