Nairobi, Kenya, May 2, 2025 — Kenya still has significant gaps in providing post-abortion care (PAC), a new study reveals. According to a study on the Incidence of Induced Abortions and the Severity of Abortion-Related Complications in Kenya, conducted by the African Population and Health Research Center, the Ministry of Health, and the Guttmacher Institute, only 18% of primary-level facilities and just 24% of referral-level facilities meet the appropriate standards to offer comprehensive PAC services.
The findings of the study show the need for a multi-sectoral response to address the persistent gaps in post-abortion care delivery and ensure that all women of reproductive age in Kenya can access safe and timely care.
The study shows that induced abortions are a common experience among Kenyan women, with an estimated 792,694 abortions having occurred in 2023, an equivalent of 57 abortions per 1000 women of reproductive age (15-49). According to the study, there has been a significant decline in unintended pregnancies, however more than half of these pregnancies still end in abortion. From the study, there is encouraging progress in access to post-abortion care, with a notable rise in women seeking timely access to PAC services, particularly for mild complications, at public and lower-level health facilities. The study also revealed that the proportion of postabortion care patients with the most severe complications has declined over the past decade. However, the quality of PAC services remains inconsistent, especially at the primary healthcare level, where less than 20% of facilities meet the basic standard for comprehensive care.
The findings are based on national surveys of health facilities and women conducted between 2023 and 2024. The surveys assessed the availability of services, equipment, supplies, and trained personnel needed to manage abortion-related complications, as well as women’s experiences with induced abortion and post-abortion care.
Speaking at the launch of the study, Dr. Jeane Patrick, Deputy Head of the Division of Reproductive and Maternal Health at the Ministry of Health, assured the public of the Ministry’s commitment to ensure the right environment for the provision of quality post-abortion care.
“Maternal health is our core mandate. Every life lost has an effect on the country’s economic growth, as a Ministry, we are geared towards ensuring we provide quality maternal services. Currently, we are reviewing the post-abortion care package to ensure women receive the services they deserve,” she added.
The study further highlights critical service delivery gaps in post-abortion care across the health system. One in five health facilities expected to offer PAC does not provide the service at all. Among lower-level facilities, only 14% of Level II and 31% of Level III facilities have the capacity to provide all basic PAC components. At the referral level, only 24% of facilities are capable of providing comprehensive care, including surgical services and blood transfusions. In addition, frequent stock-outs of essential medical supplies and contraceptives, especially at the primary level, continue to compromise the quality of service.
“Primary-level healthcare facilities bear the greatest burden in providing post-abortion care. To reduce the number of abortions, we must urgently address the issue of unintended pregnancies,” — Kenneth Juma, Senior Research Officer, APHRC.
The study calls for urgent action to improve Kenya’s abortion-related care by upgrading primary health facilities to provide full basic PAC services, strengthening supply chains for essential commodities, and enhancing provider capacity through ongoing training. It also recommends implementing national PAC guidelines and referral systems, scaling up quality family planning, and improving facility readiness. Investing in community-level advocacy through community health promoters (CHPs) will be key in reducing the incidence of repeat abortions and improving reproductive health outcomes.
For media inquiries or to request interviews, please contact:
Doris Omao, Advocacy & Communications Officer
domao@aphrc.org