title: Attitudes towards family planning in the Southeast Anatolian Project (SEAP) region of Turkey.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Birgul
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozcirpici
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozgur
authors.forename: Saime
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahinoz
authors.forename: Ali Ihsan
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.forename: Turgut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sahinoz
authors.forename: Ersen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ilcin
authors.forename: Gunay
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saka
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.forename: Hamit
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Acemoglu
authors.forename: Yilmaz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Palanci
authors.forename: Feridun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akkafa
authors.forename: Bayram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bektas
authors.forename: Ferit
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karacasu
authors.forename: Mucide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female