Individual and Household Level Associates of Modern Contraceptive Usage Among Married Women in Wajir and Garissa Counties in Kenya

Abstract

Kenya's birthrate is 3.4 children per woman, compared to 2.4 globally given the increasing expenditure in family planning programs and education among married women. High fertility rates can cause maternal mortality, anemia, third-trimester hemorrhage, premature membrane rupture, and puerperal endometritis. Despite improvements in contraceptive usage among married women, certain communities remain behind and have high fertility rates and unmet demand. In most nations, including Kenya, contraceptive usage has individual and population-level advantages. A fall in fertility boosts economic growth since there are fewer dependent children and more working women. This research evaluates contraceptive usage in Wajir and Garissa counties in Kenya. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2014 was used as the source of data. The binary logistic regression model was used to examine outcome and factor variables. Based on the findings, attaining primary education, being among those in the highest wealth quintile, ease of access to a health facility, husband’s approval of Family Planning and women empowerment positively impacted modern contraceptive usage in the two counties The study recommends that men should be educated and involved in Family Planning activities, more targeted Family Planning interventions especially the poor and promotion of education in general with focus on population and family size.