POSTPARTUM FAMILY-PLANNING AND HEALTH NEEDS OF WOMEN OF LOW-INCOME IN ISTANBUL

This study was designed to learn what types of postpartum health and family planning services are most appropriate for couples with low incomes living in Istanbul, Turkey. The methods used included focus groups, site visits, questionnaires for postpartum women, and a self-administered questionnaire for health-care providers. By five months postpartum, 86 percent of the women surveyed were using some method of family planning. Many couples used withdrawal, starting immediately upon resumption of intercourse after childbirth, intending to use a medical method after menses resumed. However, only 34 percent of users had begun to use a medical method by five months after childbirth. The health facilities visited provide little information and counseling about the postpartum period. Women said that they wanted information on infant care, breast-feeding, and family planning, either before becoming pregnant or while they are pregnant. Most women prefer that postpartum services address the needs of the whole family, not only those of the baby or the mother. Recommendations for the timing, mode, and content of postpartum health and family planning services are made based on the study's findings.