Despite facing cultural and medical resistance, these women are asserting control over their reproductive future, signalling a shift in attitudes toward womanhood, autonomy, and societal expectations.

Tubal ligation, which is typically only recommended for women who are certain they do not want children in the future, offers a permanent and largely irreversible solution. While it provides a long-term contraception method, it presents challenges for those who might later wish to have children. However, a growing number of women in Kenya, including those who have not yet had children, are choosing this option as a permanent solution.

Dr Kireki Omanwa, a prominent Gynaecologist in Kenya, attributes the rise in tubal ligation to several factors. Many women are seeking alternatives to temporary contraceptive methods such as oral pills or injections, which can have side effects. “This method has no known side effects, other than that it eliminates the possibility of having children,” Omanwa said.

Other reasons for choosing sterilisation include a lack of desire to become mothers, with some women feeling that motherhood does not align with their current lifestyle. Economic challenges also play a significant role, as financial instability makes raising children seem unfeasible for some. For others, the decision is simply about enjoying life with their partner and focusing on personal ambitions rather than the responsibilities that come with parenthood.

While the procedure is becoming more popular, healthcare providers in Kenya are facing challenges in addressing the growing demand. Older generations of gynaecologists often have reservations about performing tubal ligation on younger women, especially those without children, due to societal expectations that women should marry and have children. This difference in perspective between older and younger doctors reflects wider societal tensions around women’s roles in Kenyan society.

The long-term implications of the growing trend are still unclear. Omanwa cautions that women who undergo tubal ligation and later change their minds about having children may have to resort to expensive assisted reproductive technologies, such as In Vitro Fertilisation. However, the high cost of these treatments makes them inaccessible for many. Over time, this trend could influence population dynamics in Kenya, although it is too early to predict its full impact.

--ChannelAfrica--