Why elite Kiambu women prefer traditional family planning
An assortment of contraceptives.
What you need to know:
- The side effects attributed to modern contraceptives include changes in menstrual cycles, inter-menstrual hemorrhage, and menstrual pain, inflammation of the genitals and cervical erosion and changes in sexual behaviour.
- Women using modern contraceptives also complain of headaches and migraines, weight gain, mood changes, missed periods, decreased libido, vaginal discharge, spotting between periods and nausea.
A new survey by Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) Kenya shows educated and elite women in Kiambu are opting for traditional family planning methods.
Most of the women prefer periodic abstinence and withdrawal during sex. “They feel it is more secure and has fewer side effects compared to the modern contraceptive method,” said Ms Nyambura Thiong’o, a PMA official.
The side effects attributed to modern contraceptives include changes in menstrual cycles, inter-menstrual hemorrhage, and menstrual pain, inflammation of the genitals and cervical erosion and changes in sexual behaviour.
Women using modern contraceptives also complain of headaches and migraines, weight gain, mood changes, missed periods, decreased libido, vaginal discharge, spotting between periods and nausea.
The research, conducted between November and December 2021 from 867 households, also shows that 74 per cent of unmarried women use contraceptives, compared to 48 per cent of married women.
Modern methods
Overall, there has been a stagnation in modern contraceptive prevalence and demand satisfied by modern methods between 2014 and 2021. It also shows that 66 per cent of Kiambu women obtained their current method at public facilities.
The research also indicates a broader contraceptive method mix among all women, with increased use of implants accounting for 27 per cent of the total method mix. Among women who were not using contraception during the period, nine in 10 did not intend to use contraception in the next 12 months.
About 70 per cent of current family planning users reported receiving comprehensive information on contraceptives when they obtained their current method. About 79 per cent of current users of modern contraceptives also reported being informed of potential side effects when they received the method.
Lower percentage of adolescent girls aged 15-19 reported receiving family planning information from a provider or community health worker in the past year compared to older women aged 20-49 years.
Partner involvement
Among women using a female-controlled modern method, 95 per cent reported that their partners were aware that they were using contraception.
For women using a female-controlled modern contraceptive method, 16 per cent disclosed they had not discussed the decision to delay or avoid pregnancy with their partners before they started using their current method.
For women who were not on contraceptives, 81 per cent reported the decision was made independently of their husband or partner.
Almost all methods were available in public facilities on the day of the interview, with none having observed a stock-out of more than four per cent.
And even though method availability has improved, about 11 per cent of the public facilities surveyed were not offering intrauterine device (IUDs). Most facilities offering IUDs (77 per cent) and 91 per cent of those offering implants had trained staff and instruments/supplies needed for insertion and removal
There has been steady improvement in the proportion of facilities offering and maintaining stock of all methods since 2019. Some of the modern contraceptives include pills, injection, vaginal methods, condoms, female sterilisation, male sterilisation, and implants.
The survey also found that some the sexually active adolescents seek to prevent pregnancy but cannot access family planning methods, while others are unaware of where to access information on best approaches.
“The county should work on providing information to teenagers about best family planning methods. This is a gap that needs to be worked on even as they try to sensitise to the need for youngsters to abstain,” said Ms Thiong'o, who spoke during the launch of the report in Juja, Kiambu County.
Contraception uptake
The uptake of contraception in the county, which, according to the 2019 population census, has about four million residents, has been on the rise.
According to the report, most women prefer seeking family planning education from chemists and private clinics in what has been attributed to high demand for privacy and long queues at public facilities.
The research further revealed the usage of a broader contraceptive method mix among all women, with increased use of implants accounting for 27 per cent of the total method mix.
Kiambu County Director of Health Hilary Kagwa called on the teenagers to refrain from abuse of modern contraceptives, saying some of the family methods can result in delayed pregnancies and contraction of diseases.
"The survey will not only help us plan but will also help us create awareness on a need basis. We will unpack all the data released today and further explore the key areas of action and improvement," said Mr Kagwa.
The study was done with the help of the Ministry of Health, the International Centre for Reproductive Health Kenya (ICRHK), the National Council for Population and Development, and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
