Education reform in Turkey shifts family planning preferences

A study published in the journal ‘Economics and Human Biology’ examines how Turkey’s 1997 compulsory eight-year basic education reform has influenced women’s family planning preferences.

Researchers from Yaşar University, including Prof. Dr. Dilek Cindoğlu, Dr. Serkan Demirkılıç, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hasan Tekgüç, found that increased education significantly reduces the use of traditional contraceptive methods controlled by men. Specifically, for married women, completing eight or more years of education decreases the likelihood of using traditional methods by approximately 20.8%.

The study suggests this shift is not merely due to increased information access. Instead, extended education delays the age of first marriage and first birth, moving women away from early marriage environments and altering structural decision-making dynamics. While awareness of modern contraceptive methods is high in Turkey, traditional methods remain prevalent; education serves as a key tool in breaking these patterns.

The authors conclude that while education investments are vital, they should be paired with policies that transform gender roles and encourage joint decision-making between partners to ensure a lasting transition to modern family planning.