NAIROBI, Kenya – A new report by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) has revealed that Nairobi and the Central region recorded the highest number of induced abortions in Kenya in 2023, with a staggering 234,125 cases.
The data paints a stark picture of reproductive health challenges in the country, underscoring the urgency of addressing unintended pregnancies and improving access to safe abortion care.
The report, released on Friday, indicates that Nyanza and Western regions followed closely with 222,196 cases, while Rift Valley recorded 153,314.
Eastern region saw 108,910 cases, and Coast and North Eastern regions registered the lowest at 74,150.
In total, an estimated 792,694 induced abortions occurred nationwide in 2023, driven largely by unintended pregnancies, which accounted for more than 1.4 million of Kenya’s 2.85 million total pregnancies that year.
The study revealed stark disparities in access to post-abortion care (PAC) across regions.
Only 25.9% of women in Nairobi and Central received care in a formal health facility during their most recent abortion, compared to 43% in Eastern and 42.3% in Coast and North Eastern regions.
This points to significant gaps in both access and awareness of safe reproductive health services.
“Induced abortions are mainly driven by unwanted pregnancies, so we have to address the problem of unintended pregnancies; the higher the number of unintended pregnancies, the higher the induced abortions,” said Kenneth Juma, a senior researcher at APHRC, during the National Dissertation Forum.
The findings stem from a nationwide study conducted between April 2023 and May 2024 by APHRC in collaboration with the Guttmacher Institute and the Ministry of Health. The research comprised three core components:
- A Health Facilities Survey (HFS) involving 648 public and private health facilities that provide PAC services.
- A population-based survey of more than 2,000 women aged 15 to 49, who had undergone an induced abortion in the previous five years.
- A clinical study tracking women who presented with abortion-related complications over a 30-day observation period, including the collection of medical records and provider assessments on the severity of complications.
The report emphasizes the need for stronger public health policies, improved access to contraceptives, and comprehensive sex education to reduce the burden of unintended pregnancies—the root cause of the country’s high abortion rates.
Health experts are now urging the government to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, especially in low-access regions, and invest in reproductive health awareness campaigns tailored to young women and underserved communities.
