Girls in urban slums and rural areas are at significant risk of early and unintended pregnancies

In Kenya, one in five girls between the age of 15 to 19 years is either pregnant or has begun child bearing. Young girls in this age group account for almost 70% of all the pregnancies here in Kenya and most of these pregnancies are usually unintended forcing these girls to seek abortion services which are normally unsafe and dangerous for their health. It is estimated that 45% of women who have serious complications after procuring unsafe abortion services are young girls between the ages of 15 to 19 years.

Research has shown that girls living in urban slums and rural areas are at significant risk of early and unintended pregnancies. They are among the forgotten and marginalized population in this country. Limited access to sexual and reproductive health services and information is the major barrier to contraceptive use by adolescent girls in these areas.

In a study I did in seme sub county (Kisumu County) this year, a 17 year old girl reported to me to have had her first child at the age of 15 years when she was still in school. She was forced to drop out of school to take care of her baby. Her dream of becoming a journalist was completely destroyed.

“Back then I didn’t know what family planning was. I could just hear they are for adults and not kids like me. If I had known about them, I don’t think I would have gotten pregnant.”

Is her story familiar to you?

The ministry of health launched the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health policy of 2015 which emphasizes on the need for young people to access equitable high quality, efficient and effective adolescent friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health information and services. It also emphasizes on how vulnerable young girls from the slums and rural areas are and the need for urgent action to address their plight.

On September 26th, we will be celebrating World Contraception Day. The county government and the national government should set one of it aims to be to help each new generation of young girls make informed decisions until every pregnancy in the country is a planned one. This can only be achieved through increasing access to equitable high quality, efficient and effective sexual and reproductive health information and services (contraception) for young Kenyan women in both rural areas and urban slums.