Experts warn as C-Section rate surpasses WHO guidelines
Health & Science
By
Mercy Kahenda
| Feb 22, 2026
C-section rate in Kenya surpasses WHO guidelines at 18% of births. [File Courtesy]
Recent data from the Ministry of Health, corroborated by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, shows that over 220,500 deliveries were performed via Cesarean Section (CS), accounting for 18 per cent of all births.
This exceeds the World Health Organisation’s recommended range of 10 to 15 per cent and marks a sharp increase from the 9 per cent recorded in 2014, a doubling over the past decade.
Experts are raising alarm over the trend. Gynaecologist Dr Fredrick Kairithia describes it as a pressing issue that requires scrutiny. “CS is indeed a matter of concern and I agree,” he says. “We usually advise doctors to carefully examine the underlying circumstances. The key question should not merely be how many CS procedures are performed, but why they are being done and, more importantly, how necessary they truly are.”
Midwife Nereah Ojanga notes that in the past, CS procedures were typically reserved for specific medical indications. Today, however, she observes that some women actively request them, often influenced by advanced medical technologies such as frequent ultrasounds.
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These scans, sometimes conducted weekly to track fetal growth, can lead to unintended outcomes. She recalls a case in which repeated scans indicated a large baby, prompting a CS that resulted in the delivery of a severely preterm infant weighing 3.2 kilogrammes, premature based on the actual conception timeline.
“In my many years as a midwife,” Ojanga reflects, “I sometimes feel that if given the opportunity, some women—and even certain doctors—would interfere excessively with the natural pregnancy process. Technology, including the overuse of repeated ultrasounds, contributes to this.”
She expresses particular concern about cases in private hospitals, where some mothers present as full-term earlier than they actually are, potentially influencing decisions toward CS.
Pregnancy, she explains, is predominantly hormone-driven: the uterus and body naturally coordinate signals around 39 to 40 weeks to initiate labour and prepare for breastfeeding. Interfering with these hormonal processes prematurely can increase the likelihood of requiring a CS, as the body may not yet be ready for natural delivery.
Dr Kairithia adds nuance, noting that the likelihood of CS also varies by healthcare facility level. Higher-tier facilities, such as Levels 5 and 6, often manage more complex, high-risk cases that genuinely require surgical intervention, unlike lower-level primary facilities.
Overall, the surge in C-sections calls for careful reflection on balancing medical necessity, patient preferences, technological influence and systemic factors to ensure safer, evidence-based maternal care in Kenya.