TY - JOUR T1 - Attitudes towards family planning in the Southeast Anatolian Project (SEAP) region of Turkey JF - Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care JO - J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care SP - 121 LP - 122 DO - 10.1783/1471189053629464 VL - 31 IS - 2 AU - Birgul Ozcirpici AU - Servet Ozgur AU - Saime Sahinoz AU - Ali Ihsan Bozkurt AU - Turgut Sahinoz AU - Ersen Ilcin AU - Gunay Saka AU - Ali Ceylan AU - Hamit Acemoglu AU - Yilmaz Palanci AU - Feridun Akkafa AU - Bayram Bektas AU - Ferit Karacasu AU - Ak Mucide Y1 - 2005/04/01 UR - http://jfprhc.bmj.com/content/31/2/121.abstract N2 - 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. ER -