While an overall 11 per cent of currently married women reported having been pressured to become pregnant against their will, Murang’a County registered the highest number of cases.
According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), these women aged between 15 to 49 years were persuaded into pregnancy by either their partners or husbands or other family members.
The report states at least 20.5 per cent of women in Murang'a County have ever been pushed to get pregnant when they did not want to.
Other counties in the top 10 are; Kericho(18.5), Bungoma(18.1), Kiambu(17.7), Busia(16.9), Turkana(16.6), Meru(14.3), Homa Bay(14.0), Nyamira(13.7) and Uasin Gishu(13.6).
On the contrary, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) report shows Kwale County had the least number of married women forced to get pregnant in the last year with 2.1%.
The rest of the counties in the list include Kitui at 2.1%, Makueni at 2.9%, Samburu at 4.6%, Tharaka Nithi at 6.0%, Kilifi at 6.4%, Marsabit and Garissa at 6.6%, Embu(6.8%) and Isiolo at 7.2%.
"The percentage declined as the number of living children increased. This varies from 16% for those with no living children to 9% among those with five or more children," the report indicates.
