Survey of married women’s choices of family planning methods in BingÖl, Turkey

Abstract

Family planning allows women to choose their when they have children. The aim of this study was to determine the family planning methods used by women in Bingöl, Turkey in order to inform family planning promotion programs in the study area. Study subjects were married women aged 18-49 years living in Bingöl, Turkey who presented to Family Health Centers and were willing to participate in the study. Each subject was asked to fill out a 40 question questionnaire asking about demographics and family planning. A total of 295 subjects were included in the study. Thirty-seven point six percent had a university education and 32.9% had a high school education level. Fifty-five point nine percent were housewives and 40.0% were officers. Seventy-three point two percent of subjects used modern methods of contraception and 11.9% preferred traditional contraception methods. Among the women using modern methods, 25.4% used condoms and 24.4% used pills. Among women using traditional contraception methods, 16.9% used the withdrawal method and 7.5% used the calendar method. There were no general factors significantly associated with method of contracep-tion. Fifty-six point five percent of women using modern contraception methods were unemployed while 48.6% of subjects who used traditional family planning methods were unemployed but the difference between the modern and traditional method employed were not significant. Our study shows the commonly used contraception methods used by women for family planning in the study popula-tion. This can inform family planning promotion programs who can discuss these methods for appropriate subject groups. © 2019, SEAMEO TROPMED Network. All rights reserved.