Objective: This study was carried out to determine the fertility characteristics and the family planning methods of the women visiting the Elazığ State Hospital Family Planning Clinic. Materials and Methods: Total of 887 patients admitted to Elazığ State Hospital Family Planning Clinic, between October 1st 1999 and March 31st 2000 were involved in this study. Results: It was found that 27.4% of these women were not graduated from any school. The mean age of patients was 30.5 (±6.3). Among these patients, the mean number of pregnancy, number of child and living children was 3.7, 2.9 and 2.7, respectively. The average number of abortions was 0.8 and the interval of last pregnancy was 33.7 months. 27.3% of the women had at least four children and history of at least one abortion was present for 47.0% of the women involved in this study. In 24.4% women the last pregnancy had ended by induced abortion. It was determined that 51.3%, 23.7% and 6.7% of the women had used RIA, condom and pill, respectively. When asked about the methods they had employed during the last three months, the answers were 60.1% coitus interruptus, 17.0% condom, 6.7% pills, 5.4% RIA, 0.3% spermicide and 0.3% injection. 26.7% of the women had MR. 38.4% of this group was uneducated, 53.6% was primary school graduated, 7.2% secondary school and 0.8% university graduate.
Conclusion: The women visiting the Elazığ State Hospital Family Planning Clinic have been widely using conventional methods with limited effect and one out of every six women have had induced abortion. In order to increase the rate of using effective family planning methods and to decrease the number of induced abortions, family planning courses and counselling must be of high priority among the basic health services.
Key words: Family Planning, Fertility, Abortus
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