Fertility Preferences of Women in a Province Center

Fertility preferences and status are important parameters involved in reproductive health. The aim of the present study was to define some characteristics of the fertility preferences of women aged 15-49 years in our region.

This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2013 and 2015. The study population consisted of 627 married women aged 15-49 years living in a city center. A questionnaire about socio-demographic characteristics, pregnancy and birth traits, and fertility preferences was applied. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, and Spearman correlation tests were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.00 (IBM, SPSS Corp.; Armonk, NY, USA) software for statistical analyses. A p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The mean age of the women participating in the survey was 33.03±7.1 years. Median age at marriage was 20 years, mean age at first pregnancy was 21 years, and mean number of pregnancies was 3.07 years, with 14.6% having had more than five pregnancies and 34.6% having experienced previous miscarriages. The mean number of live births was 2.2, and 21.5% of women had waited 24 months between pregnancies. Additionally, 77.7% reported using family planning of any kind, with 62.1% using the modern method. Women's ages at first marriage varied significantly depending on education (p<0.001) and working status (p<0.001), whereas ages at first pregnancy varied significantly depending on educational status (p<0.001). The total number of pregnancies varied significantly depending on level of education, working status, and family income (p<0.001). Times between two pregnancies among women with histories of more than two pregnancies differed significantly depending on educational status (p<0.05).

The most important factors in women's fertility preferences are education, work, and income. Increasing women's educational levels can lead to safe and healthy pregnancies and births.