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Attitudes towards family planning in the Southeast Anatolian Project (SEAP) region of Turkey
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  1. Birgul Ozcirpici, MD, Registrar1,
  2. Servet Ozgur, MD, Registrar1,
  3. Saime Sahinoz, MD, Registrar1,
  4. Ali Ihsan Bozkurt, MD, Registrar2,
  5. Turgut Sahinoz, MD, Specialist in Public Health3,
  6. Ersen Ilcin, PhD, Registrar4,
  7. Gunay Saka, MD, Registrar4,
  8. Ali Ceylan, MD, Registrar4,
  9. Hamit Acemoglu, MD, Registrar4,
  10. Yilmaz Palanci, MD, Registrar4,
  11. Feridun Akkafa, MSc, Registrar5,
  12. Bayram Bektas, MD, Registrar6,
  13. Ferit Karacasu, MD, PhD, Registrar6 and
  14. Ak Mucide, PhD, Registrar6
  1. Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey
  2. Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
  3. Medical Directorate of Gaziantep Province, Gaziantep, Turkey
  4. Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey
  5. Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey
  6. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova-Izmir, Turkey
  1. Correspondence to Professor Dr Servet Ozgur, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, 27310 Gaziantep, Turkey. Tel: +90 342 3603910/7757. Fax: +90 342 3601617. E-mail: ozcirpici{at}gantep.edu.tr

Abstract

Objective To determine attitudes towards family size and last pregnancies in order to improve family planning services in the Southeast Anatolian Project (SEAP) region.

Methods A questionnaire survey in the nine SEAP regional provinces was carried out under the auspices of the ‘SEAP Public Health Project’ from 2001 to 2002. The participants comprised 1756 women and 661 men from 1126 households.

Results For men and women aged 15 years and over the median ideal number of children was three. The rate of unintended last pregnancies (43.1%) in the present study was very high compared to the national average of 18.8%. Some 30.1% of the last pregnancies were unwanted by either partner.

Conclusions The number of pregnancies and children in this region is approximately twice as high as the ideal number. Families in the region are having more children than they want. Basic education must be given to women, particularly non-Turkish speakers, to improve their knowledge and use of family planning. Family planning education for men in rural areas also needs special attention.

https://doi.org/10.1783/1471189053629464

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