Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Kenya
Kenya: Share of women using modern contraceptive methods was 56.9% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Kenya, 1978–2022
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of women ages 15-49.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 56.9% for share of women using modern contraceptive methods in 2022.
The figure is down 6.4% on the previous year and up 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Kenya peaked at 61.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 4.4%, in 1978.
Kenya ranks 34th of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 4.4% | — |
| 1984 | 9.7% | +120.5% |
| 1989 | 17.9% | +84.5% |
| 1993 | 27.3% | +52.5% |
| 1998 | 31.5% | +15.4% |
| 2003 | 31.5% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 39.4% | +25.1% |
| 2014 | 53.2% | +35.0% |
| 2015 | 61.8% | +16.2% |
| 2016 | 59.3% | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 58.5% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 59.9% | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 57.1% | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 61.2% | +7.2% |
| 2021 | 60.8% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 56.9% | -6.4% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 56.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 45.1%, 1.3× the median. (37 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 56.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.3%, 2.3× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +120.5% | 4.4% | 9.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 1 |
| 1980s | 13.8% | 9.7% | 17.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 29.4% | 27.3% | 31.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 35.5% | 31.5% | 39.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 58.3% | 53.2% | 61.8% | 6 |
| 2020s | 59.6% | 56.9% | 61.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More gender data for Kenya
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 21,579 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.8794 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 41,524 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 41,524 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.3 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 740,912 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 751,960 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 725,839 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 736,424 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 712,907 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Kenya?
- Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Kenya was 56.9% in 2022, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women using modern contraceptive methods recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 61.8% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of women using modern contraceptive methods recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.4% in 1978.
- How does Kenya rank for share of women using modern contraceptive methods?
- Kenya ranks 34th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of women using modern contraceptive methods rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women using modern contraceptive methods. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of women using modern contraceptive methods, among those aged 15–49 and married or in union.