Misconceptions about family planning of women in Turkey

Abstract

<p><em>Background</em>: The objective of this study is to investigate the myths of women about contraceptive methods.</p><p><em>Method</em>: This study was planned as a cross-sectional research. The study population consisted of 1335 women aged between 16 and 56 years, who attended to a family planning clinic of a state hospital in Karaman City in the southwest part of Turkey.</p><p><em>Findings</em>: The mean age of women has been 32,79±8,8. While 6.2% (n=84) of the women used no contraceptive method, 70.4% (n=945) of them used an effective method and 23.4% (n=312) used a traditional method. The 40.2% of women have believed in that the oral contraceptive method caused weight gain, infertility, bleeding disorders, hirsutism, cancer, irritability, malformed baby and premature menopause. The 24,2% of women have thought of that the intrauterine devices caused bleeding disorder, moving in the body, cancer, decreased sexual desire, genital infection and infertility.</p><p><em>Conclusions</em>: There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding contraception, and they can sometimes prevent a woman from making an informed choice.</p>