Female sterilization in Turkey

Elif Yiğit, Hacettepe University

Female sterilization is relatively a new method for women in Turkey. Although it is known by 90 percent of women, only 6 percent of women sterilized. In this study, socio-economic and demographic characteristics of sterilized women will be examined. This study will analyze the 2003 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey. The survey has a nationally representative sample, including 10,836 households with 8075 ever-married women. The descriptive analysis of the characteristics of sterilized women will be given in addition to the multivariate analysis. According to the survey results, 6 percent of women are sterilized in Turkey. This was 4 percent in 1998 survey. The preliminary results show that sterilization is higher among women in 40-44 age group, women living in West, women living in urban areas, women with primary school education and women with traditional life style (wearing a scarf, no make-up, no social life).