Objective: Determining the prevalence and kinds of contraceptive methods used by married midwives aged 15-49.
Method: This descriptive study was performed at 20 Health Centers in Samsun city in May - July 2004 period by
way of applying a questionnaire to married midwives working at these centers.
Results: The mean age, first marriage age and first pregnancy age of 113 midwives who participated in the study
were 34.4±5.6 years, 22.3±2.2 years and 23.1±2.5 years, respectively. The mean pregnancy number and the mean
live birth number were found 2.1±0.9 pregnancies and 1.8±0.7 births. Prevalence of family planning method usage
was 89.4 % and, while 83.2 % were using effective methods, 16.8 % were using traditional methods. Most
frequently preferred methods were condom, intra uterine device (IUD) and tubal ligation. Of the midwives, only
10.9% were complaining from the method they were using and 81.8% of them were IUD users.
Conclusion: The high prevalence of effective contraceptive method usage in midwives is thought to be an
affirmative finding and reflection of their knowledge to their attitudes.
Key Words: Midwife, Family planning, Contraceptive method.
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