Fewer Kenyan teenage girls are getting pregnant, according to the 2025/2026 Kenya Mini Demographic and Health Survey. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) prepared the survey. Medical Services PS Ouma Oluga launched it in Nairobi on Tuesday. Capital FM reported that the adolescent birth rate fell from 73 to 63 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19.
The national figure hides big differences between counties. According to Nairobi Wire, West Pokot has the highest rate, with 25 per cent of adolescents reporting a pregnancy. Migori follows at 23 per cent and Kajiado at 20 per cent. Nyeri has the lowest rate at 2 per cent, followed by Isiolo at 3.4 per cent and Makueni at 3.7 per cent. Capital FM reported that KNBS official Rosemary Bowen named Turkana, Samburu, West Pokot, Narok and Kajiado among the counties with the highest levels.
Women are also having fewer children. The average number of births per woman fell from 3.4 in 2022 to 3.1. Rural women average 3.6 births and urban women 2.6. Nairobi Wire reported that Mandera has the highest rate at 6.8 and Embu the lowest at 2.2. According to The Star, 91 per cent of births now take place in health facilities, up from 88 per cent in 2022. Skilled health workers attend 92 per cent of births, up from 89 per cent.
Cost remains a problem. The survey found that 41.8 per cent of women were registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA). In 2022, about 25 per cent were covered by insurance. The Star reported that some SHA users faced missing medicines, long waits and system outages. Money for treatment was the most common barrier to care. Oluga said current government records put national SHA coverage at about 70 per cent.
Bowen said the findings give national and county governments updated data on where adolescent health services need more investment. World Health Organization representative Neema Kimambo warned that "national averages conceal important differences". She urged policymakers to identify the groups that still struggle to reach essential services.
KNBS acting Director General Benjamin Avusevwa said the survey interviewed 21,231 women aged 15 to 49 between November 5, 2025, and February 10, 2026. Men were not interviewed. The survey covered all 47 counties. Avusevwa described it as a bridge between the 2022 survey and the next full survey. Full surveys are normally conducted about every five years.
Separately, The Star reported that child rights groups in Laikipia North have warned that the long school holiday puts girls at risk of FGM, teenage pregnancy and early marriage.