Kenya ’ s Population Growth Decreases as More Women Embrace Modern Family Planning

Pharmacists, like Christine Atieno​ from Mediway Healthcare and doctors say women and men in Kenya are more open to contraceptive use now. CREDIT: Wilson Odhiambo/IPS By Wilson OdhiamboNAIROBI, Aug 28 2023 (IPS) According to a family planning brief, more than 370 million women in middle and low-income countries were finally embracing modern contraception to help curb unintended pregnancies. This statistic suggests that one in every three women from middle and low-income countries use contraceptives today. Africa, which had the lowest number of family planning users in 2012, had registered a 66 percent increase, from 40 million to 66 million girls and women by 2022. Eastern and Southern Africa recorded the highest increase in family planning users at 70 percent. Kenya was ranked among the sub-Saharan nations that had effectively managed to tame the population growth rate by educating and empowering women and young girls through family planning initiatives. According to Kenya’s Ministry of Health, by September last year, at least 54 percent of women in the country had access to contraceptives, and the use of modern methods of family planning had increased from 18 percent in 1989 to 57 percent in 2022. This went a long way in helping it meet its FP2030 commitment plan. The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey last year reported that there was a decrease in the fertility rate in women from 3.9 children per woman in 2014 to 3.4 children per woman in 2022. This decrease result...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Africa Development & Aid Education Featured Gender Global Headlines Health Humanitarian Emergencies Population Sustainable Development Goals TerraViva United Nations Women's Health IPS UN Bureau IPS UN Bureau Report Kenya Source Type: news