Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Kenya
Kenya: Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age was 13.9% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Kenya, 1989–2022
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 married women ages 15-49.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Kenya is 13.9%, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Kenya peaked at 38.0% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 2020.
Kenya ranks 32nd of 58 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of married women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 38.0% | — |
| 1993 | 35.3% | -7.1% |
| 1998 | 28.0% | -20.7% |
| 2003 | 27.4% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 25.6% | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 17.5% | -31.6% |
| 2015 | 17.3% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 15.8% | -8.5% |
| 2017 | 15.2% | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 14.3% | -5.7% |
| 2019 | 15.1% | +5.7% |
| 2020 | 12.7% | -15.9% |
| 2021 | 14.3% | +12.5% |
| 2022 | 13.9% | -2.8% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 13.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 20.2%, 69% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 13.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.0%, 63% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 38.0% | 38.0% | 38.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 31.6% | 28.0% | 35.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 26.5% | 25.6% | 27.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 15.9% | 14.3% | 17.5% | 6 |
| 2020s | 13.6% | 12.7% | 14.3% | 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 unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Kenya?
- Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Kenya was 13.9% 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 unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 38.0% in 1989.
- What is the lowest unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 2020.
- How does Kenya rank for unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age?
- Kenya ranks 32nd out of 58 countries with data for 2022.
- Is unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Fertile, married women of reproductive age (ages 15-49) who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.