Kenya: Hospital Births in Kenya Rise to 91pc As Home Deliveries Decline - Knbs

What the report says

Kenya is seeing a further shift toward facility-based childbirth, according to a Kenya National Bureau of Statistics survey cited by Capital FM and distributed by AllAfrica. The report says the share of births taking place in health facilities rose to 91% in the latest survey, up from 88% in 2022, while the proportion of deliveries attended by skilled birth workers increased to 92% from 89%.

The same Kenya Mini Demographic and Health Survey for 2025/2026 also points to gains in maternal care during pregnancy. It found that 72% of women had at least four antenatal care visits, compared with 66% in 2022, and that 36% began pregnancy check-ups within the first three months, up from 29% previously.

Home births continued to decline, falling to 9% from 11% in 2022. The reported trends suggest more expectant mothers are using formal health services for childbirth and prenatal care, a development that matters for maternal and newborn safety and for planning health services at county and national level.

World Health Organization representative in Kenya Neema Kimambo was quoted saying that reliable evidence should shape better policy decisions. More broadly, the figures may help governments identify where access to skilled care is improving and where gaps remain in maternal health coverage.