Every year the world observes contraception day on the 26th of September with a keen focus on sensitizing the public and creating general awareness about contraceptives.

The celebration is conducted globally to emphasize the importance of good reproductive health. Information about birth control options and safe sex practices is also highlighted.

This year’s theme is to increase awareness of all available contraceptive methods while enabling the youth to make informed sexual and reproductive health decisions.

Better family planning is aimed at helping families lift themselves out of poverty, especially in third world overpopulated countries.

Marking World Contraception Day underlines the importance of population control as well.

The initial idea of having World Contraceptive Day was to advocate for pregnancy being only a result of a planned decision.

In Kenya, reports indicate that 30-50 percent of pregnancies are unplanned.

The importance of World Contraception Day is to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services. These services include family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.

This is in line with the World Health Organisation  Agenda for Sustainable Development.

To mark Contraception day, stakeholders run offline and online campaigns to reach as many as possible. Thematic areas discussed include maternal mortality, unavailability of contraceptives, family planning, and unplanned pregnancies 

Even as the health ministry states that proper family planning will propel social-economic development, the government of Kenya has recently revealed that it is facing a 1.3 billion deficit in the investment of family planning products.

Andrew Mulwa, acting Medical Services Director called upon men to join in the conversation about contraception.

Contraception options available in Kenya include; the condom, the oral contraceptive pill, the intra-uterine device(IUD), The contraceptive implant, contraceptive injection, sterilization, and the emergency contraception pill(the morning-after pill)

Factors to consider while picking a contraception method:

•Your age and predisposition to certain health conditions

•Reversibility-put into consideration how soon after you might want to have kids.

•Forbearance of side effects-hormonal contraception especially presents side effects such as nausea, breast tenderness, weight gain, cramping, and nausea.