Abortion tops list of Kenyan online searches

TRENDING:  Search queries with the highest amount of traffic over a sustained period in 2012 as compared to 2011.

MOST-SEARCHED: Search queries with the largest volume of searches.

Most Kenyans with access to the Internet want to know how to get an abortion, according to a new survey.

The Google Zeitgeist 2012 report released on Thursday says this was the most searched topic in the last 12 months in the country.

This could be an indication that many Kenyans are engaging in unprotected sex resulting in unplanned pregnancies.

It could also mean that there is little information in the public on terminating pregnancies and many people are turning to online sources for guidance.

Article 26(4) of the Constitution outlaws abortion on demand.

“Abortion is not permitted unless, in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, or the life or health of the mother is in danger, or if permitted by any other written law,” reads the article.

Abortion was one of the contentious issues ahead of the August 4, 2010, referendum on the Constitution.

Religious leaders used the clause providing for abortion on medical grounds to lobby followers to reject the Constitution.

The report mirrors other findings that young people are more afraid of pregnancy than contracting HIV.

Also in the top 10 of ‘how to’ trending queries is ‘how to conceive’, ‘how to seduce’, ‘how to romance’ and ‘how to invest’. There are also those who simply want to know about “ovulation”.

On diseases, the report says most Kenyans online look for information about cancer.

The fact that prominent people, including two ministers — Mrs Beth Mugo (Public Health), and Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o (Medical Services) — declared they had been diagnosed with the disease may have sparked interest in its causes and prevention.

Prof Wangari Maathai, the 2004 Nobel peace laureate, died of ovarian cancer last year, as did paediatrician-cum-novelist Margaret Ogola.

There were also queries about ebola, malaria, typhoid, stress, HIV/Aids, nausea and autism.

Also in the most searched category was the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

This could be because it has been in the news over the procurement controversy regarding the biometric voter registration kits; and the subsequent voter registration.

For something to fit the “trending” tag, it means that the search term has had the most sustained traffic on Google over the past year — in other words, it has been talked about quite frequently.

In politics, it is the dead politicians who topped the list of searches.