Failure Rates of Various Contraceptives as Evidenced in the 1989 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey

Abstract

contraceptive Failure has been and still is a big problem in family planning in Kenya. Ferti1ity control which depends on contraceptive use in family planning has not been fully successful because of large scale failure. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to estimate contraceptive failure rate for various methods of contraception. The study also attempts to estimate failure rates by various socio-cultural, socio-economic and demographic factors. The estimates were achieved using a "New method of estimating contraceptive failure rate", by J. Bongaarts and G. Rodriguez, (1991). The monthly failure rate "f" was estimated by f = pbj120 ua. The estimation involved the use of secondary data, the 1989 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, and it involved the whole country. Periodic abstinence and condom were found to having be among the highest failure rate after other methods of contraception for the general married women in Kenya. IUD, Injection and the pill had the lowest contraceptive failure ~ate. By religion, Catholics had the highest failure rate among all the other religions, while the Muslims had the lowest contraceptive failure rate. By ethnic groups, the Embu/Meru had the lowest contraceptive failure rate for all methods combined, while the Kisii had the highest contraceptive failure rate. Findings of woman's place of residence, show that women of rural-residence had the highest contraceptive failure rate as compared to their urban counterparts. Failure rate for all methods combined for women of various educational levels indicate that women of primary education have got the highest contraceptive failure. Women of secondary education and above on the other hand have got the lowest contraceptive failure. By age group of the woman, findings show that the younger women of age group 15-24 had among the highest contraceptive failure rates. Women of age group 35-44 had the lowest contraceptive failure rate. Findings by provinces indicated that Central province had the lowest contraceptive failure while Nyanza Province had the highest failure rate. From this study, it isrecommended that there should be more rigorous education to the general public about contraceptive methods and correct methods of use. The church too also has apart to play in disseminating information on various contraceptive methods, and go on further to educate their members on how to correctly use the methods that are considered acceptable by the church.