In Turkey, abortion is legal and relatively common. Recent attempts to improve the quality of family planning services in Turkey have been aimed at increasing the use of modern contraceptive methods to reduce the need for abortion. The abortion ratio has declined from a peak of 23.6 abortions per 100 pregnancies in 1988 to 15.7 abortions per 100 pregnancies in 1998. At the same time, modern contraceptive use has increased significantly from 31.1 percent among married women in 1988 to 37.7 percent in 1998. This paper examines the extent to which the decline in abortion in Turkey can be attributed to increased use of modern contraception. Trends in abortion ratios and rates and in contraceptive use are examined among subgroups of Turkish women. The study then examines changes in the contraceptive behavior associated with abortion, changes in fertility preferences and demand for contraception, and changes in the propensity to abort unwanted pregnancies. Finally, the analysis includes a number of simulations that examine what abortion levels might be under different contraceptive use scenarios. The paper uses data from the 1983 and 1988 Turkish Population and Health Surveys and the 1993 and 1998 Turkish Demographic and Health Surveys. Preliminary results suggest that the increased use of modern contraceptive methods is due to a shift away from use of traditional methods. This shift in method mix has resulted in a decline in traditional method failures, which in turn has resulted in a decline in abortion.
Learning Objectives: Analyze relationship between abortion trends and contraceptive use
Keywords: Abortion, Contraception
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.