Over 700,000 abortions in Kenya in one year, majority among married women
The findings suggest that many abortions are happening in homes and marriages that already have children, underlining the economic burden families face.
A new report by the Ministry of Health has painted a grim picture of reproductive health in Kenya, revealing that over 792,000 abortions were conducted between April 2023 and May 2024.
The data, released in collaboration with the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) and the Guttmacher Institute, shows that 57.3 abortions occurred per 1,000 women aged 15 to 49 years.
The findings have raised concerns over the scale of unsafe abortions and the drivers behind them.
Shockingly, about 80% of the women who procured abortions during the period were married or living with a partner.
The report also shows that 65% had already given birth before, with nearly a third, 32% having two or more children.
"Women choose to have abortions sometimes they are unprepared to become parents, but in many other reasons they are already parents because the cost of raising children is very expensive, some already had the amount of children they wanted," said Margaret Giorgio, Senior Research Scientist at Guttmacher.
The findings suggest that many abortions are happening in homes and marriages that already have children, underlining the economic burden families face.
The high number of repeat abortions and limited use of contraception also point to gaps in family planning access and awareness.
The report further reveals that more than half of all unintended pregnancies in Kenya end in an abortion.
Most women who terminated pregnancies—66%—were not using any form of contraception.
According to the report, fear of side effects and health concerns kept many from using modern contraceptives.
Kenneth Juma, a Senior Research Officer at APHRC, said, "All the drivers of abortion is (sic) unintended pregnancies and unintended pregnancies one of the driving courses is sometimes, they are not using the modern contraceptives we see that as our greatest entry point in terms of ensuring there is great awareness in communities."
The study shows that most women used just one method to end their pregnancy.
However, 14% admitted to using between two to four methods. These include both medical and unsafe traditional methods.
A disturbing 7.8% of women used dangerous methods, including inserting sharp objects in their private parts or drinking harmful substances, to end their pregnancies.
These risky approaches often lead to complications, long-term health effects, or even death.
Yet despite the high number of cases, the country’s health system is still poorly equipped to handle post-abortion care.
Only 18% of primary-level health facilities and 24% of referral-level hospitals are able to offer the necessary care after an abortion.
This shortage leaves many women without proper medical help, further increasing the danger they face.
The report calls for urgent action to increase access to safe services and family planning options across all regions.
Nairobi and Central Kenya recorded the highest number of abortion cases, while the Coast and North Eastern regions had the lowest rates.
The reasons behind the regional differences were not explained in detail, but access to services and cultural practices are likely to play a role.
The findings come at a time when reproductive health remains a sensitive topic in Kenya, often clouded by stigma, silence, and poor access to accurate information.
The report highlights the urgent need for stronger public awareness campaigns, wider access to safe contraception, and improved health services to reduce unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.