Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi

For this study, 160 women were selected at random from among those who had dropped out of the family planning programme in Kisii District and were interviewed using a questionnaire. The study was aimed at finding' out why some women discontinue family planning practises very soon after adapting them. It was found that, among several factors which infuluence the family planning drop out rate, the most important are social and cultural influences, the clients' failure to follow instructions and medical problems.