Frequently Asked Questions About SAFE ABORTION

No. Pregnancy termination is legal in Kenya to save the life or health of the woman and in cases of rape. Recently, in March 2022, a High Court in Malindi declared abortion-related arrests and prosecution illegal, concluding that abortion care was a fundamental right under the Constitution. The court added that protecting access to abortion affects vital constitutional values, including dignity, autonomy, equality and bodily integrity. It remains to be seen if this court ruling will further expand access to legal abortion care in Kenya.

Do not use medication to terminate your pregnancy if you:

Are more than 13 weeks pregnant.

Have had an ectopic pregnancy or have ever had one previously. (This is when the pregnancy is developing outside of the uterus.)

Are allergic to misoprostol or mifepristone.

Have had a tubal ligation or tubal surgery before.

Have an IUD inserted (If so, you can first have it removed.)

Count how many weeks and days have passed since the start date of your last period.

To help you remember the start date, ask yourself:

What were you doing the day you started your last period?

Where were you when your last period started?

Who was with you when your period started?

What day of the week was it when your period began?

Was the first day of your period close to a holiday, special event, or weekend day?

What was the weather like when your period started?

What were you wearing the day you started your last period?

Do not choose a medication abortion if you are more than 12 or 13 weeks pregnant as it can be dangerous.

If you want to speak to a trained counsellor about which option may be right for you, VIYA can link you with one of our partner specialists on WhatsApp

Under what conditions should I not use medication abortion?

No. If conducted by a qualified and trained healthcare professional using the correct method, abortion is exceptionally safe.

Rates of serious infections are extremely rare and can be easily treated with antibiotics.

No long-term physical problems are associated with it, including premature death, cancer, or high blood pressure.

No long-term emotional problems are associated with it, like depression or drug addiction. A recent long-term study found that five years after an abortion, most women still said it was the right decision, even if they struggled with their choice at the time. Relief was the most reported emotion.

Even though a properly conducted pregnancy termination by a trained professional is extremely safe, many people choose dangerous home remedies or visit informal/ traditional healers who use risky methods. This often happens because they want to keep the pregnancy and its termination secret, even if it risks their life or health.

An unsafe pregnancy termination can cause permanent injury, including infertility, or death. Do not try any of these unsafe methods:

Insert objects into the uterus, like sticks, roots, bones, wires, ground seeds, chemicals, etc.

Pour anything into the uterus, like bleach, saltwater, detergent, soap, chemicals, etc.

Drink any toxins like chemicals, detergent, bleach, special “tea”, herbs, etc.

Swallow any medications not designed for pregnancy termination, like painkillers, malaria medication, laxatives, etc.

Beat on the abdomen or push on it etc.

Of course, you can also use a pregnancy test kit, available at many pharmacies, or get an ultrasound at a health facility.

Note that many women simply rely on how their body feels and whether the symptoms of pregnancy have stopped. The following questions below can help you in this regard.

For questions 1 to 4 - if you answer yes to ALL OF THEM, then it’s a successful abortion.

If questions 1 to 4 answers are Yes, AND question 5 is a Yes, - you can continue to monitor the evolution of pregnancy symptoms which shall disappear in a few days

If any of questions 1 to 4 is a No, and question 5 is a Yes - you can continue to monitor to evolution of pregnancy symptoms. If the symptoms persist, plan to visit a health provider.

If even just ONE question from 6 to 8 is yes - then seek care immediately because you may have a complication from the abortion that needs to be treated by a medical professional

If conducted by a qualified and trained health care professional using one of the methods described above, abortion is one of the safest procedures there is.

Nonetheless, you need to know the difference between normal, expected side-effects and warning signs that require immediate medical treatment.

Expected effects:

Cramping and bleeding will occur – These should lessen over time as the tissue is expelled. Most bleeding is finishes within 24 hours, but spotting can continue until your next period.

Chills, fever, nausea, or diarrhoea may occur – These should go away within a day.

Warning signs: If you have any of the following symptoms, please seek emergency medical care immediately.

Excessive bleeding - soaking 2 or more large sanitary pads (or local equivalent) per hour for 2 consecutive hours. If sanitary pads are not commonly used and a local equivalent measure cannot be determined, seek care if you experience bleeding that’s heavier than your heaviest menses for more than four hours.

Severe cramps – not relieved by analgesics.

Fever – lasting more than 6 hours or that starts more than a day after the last dose of misoprostol.

Vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea – that lasts 24 hours or more following misoprostol.

In Kenya, you cannot legally be denied medical treatment for complications that occur from a pregnancy termination. If you attempted a pregnancy termination using medication, the health provider will not be able to distinguish your condition from a natural miscarriage. You can tell them you had a miscarriage.

You can go to a healthcare provider and receive the clinical procedure. If you are not sure where to go for this, you can contact trained counsellors via VIYA WhatsApp on 0701727174.

Make a plan for how to get to the clinic and how to get home, ideally with a trusted friend.

If possible, plan to rest for the remainder of the day after the procedure. You can usually return to normal activities the next day but try to avoid physically strenuous work for a day or two.

Do not use aspirin to prevent cramping as it may cause more bleeding.

If you are using medication:

Realize that you need a safe, private space to pass the tissue that your body will expel.

Buy tampons, menstrual cups, or pads to collect the blood that you pass. Using pads can help you monitor how much blood you are passing.

Physically, you should feel fine after about 24 hours. Emotionally, you might experience a range of feelings, and that’s normal. There’s no right or wrong way to feel about it. You could feel relief, grief, or both simultaneously, and this can change over time.

If you feel relief, accept it. Don’t feel guilty because you don’t feel bad; only you know what’s best for you. An early pregnancy is a small collection of cells or an embryo. It is not a foetus or a baby, so don’t turn it into one in your mind.

If you feel grief for what could have been, honour this feeling and find a constructive way to express it. Crying can help the healing process. Doing something symbolic can also help, like writing a letter or lighting a candle while saying some words.

If you have religious or spiritual beliefs, find comfort in them. If you believe in God, don’t assume God is judging you. Consider whether you believe God is love, and, if you do, what love really means. Love is wise and compassionate, and never wants to judge or condemn.

If you want to speak to a trained counsellor about your experience, go to VIYA Health Kenya or WhatsApp at 0701727174.

You can get pregnant again within 8-10 days of a pregnancy termination.  This is why it’s a good idea to start taking contraception immediately after your procedure.  

You can start almost every method the same day that you have an abortion. If you choose an IUD after a medical pregnancy termination, then you will need to wait until the bleeding has stopped

No. If done correctly, there is no risk of infertility or increased difficulty in getting pregnant. Nor does it cause problems with future pregnancies, like birth defects, low birth weight, miscarriage, or stillbirth.

As soon as you feel ready.

Use modern contraception. However, recognize that sometimes it can fail. Injectables and condoms, two of the most popular contraceptives in Kenya, can fail up to 4% and 9% of the time, respectively, over a two-year period.1 For this reason, access to safe and legal pregnancy termination care is important.

It’s estimated that about 60% of pregnancies in Kenya are unintended and that nearly 40% of these end in pregnancy termination.

EC prevents pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. It will not terminate or interrupt an established pregnancy. Click here to read more about EC.

You can consult with trained counsellors through WhatsApp by clicking the WhatsApp icon on the far right corner of your screen.