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By Rushdie Oudia
Kenya: More married women are procuring abortions as a result of secret extra-marital affairs, a new report has revealed.
The study conducted by the Kenya Medical and Education Trust (KMET) and IPAS indicates married women engage in sexual intercourse outside marriage but for fear of their husband’s wrath, they abort to avoid jeopardising their marriages.
The relationship commonly known as mpango wa kando is said to be resulting in many cases of abortion in western Kenya.
The study indicates women who are forcefully inherited also procure abortions since they do not like the idea and do not love the man.
KMET Programmes and Administrative Manager Sam Owoko said when the husband is away, some women conceive with another man, adding this is especially likely when the husband is not performing well.
Mr Owoko said some respondents revealed that this was also because some women find that other men perform better in bed than their husbands.
Another revelation was that women go for other men due to poverty or lack of financial support from their spouses.
“After getting pregnant, they feel guilty and abort,” said Owoko.
Another contributor to the rising abortion cases are pregnancy as a result of rape because victims are not willing to carry such pregnancies.
“They abort it. They are stressed. They give birth and throw foetuses in pit latrines or bushes. They are stigmatised, especially young people who are still in school and are not expected to be pregnant. They give birth and sell the babies. They think of death because of stigma,” he noted.
The study on abortion stigma revealed that most people, especially in rural areas, perceive women who have procured abortions as a shame to their community and are considered to be killers.
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