Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the affecting factors for contraceptive method usage among reproductive aged women.

Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out between 2 October – 2 November 2012 at three primary health care units selected randomly, in Konya. This study consisted of 416 married 18-49 aged women who applied to these primary health care units with any complaints during this study period. In a standardized questionnaire, their socio-demographic characteristics and experiences with contraceptives were asked.

Results: The participants had a mean age of 30.7 years (SD±6.9), 2.2 children (SD±1.4), 10.1 years of marriage duration (SD±7.2), and marriage age 20.6 (SD±2.5). Of the respondents, 11.1% were illiterate, 22.4% literate and 34.6% had primary school education, 8.2% secondary school, 13.7% high school, 10.1% university deg-ree. 60.6% (n=252) were living in the city, 80.8% were housewives and never employed and all of them were officially married. Of all the participants and 71.4% (n=297) were using a modern contraceptive method where as 13.5% (n=56) natural family planning, while 15.1% (n=63) were not using any contraceptive method. The most frequently used methods are condoms (42.3%), intra uterin devices (IUD) (17.1%), and pills (8.9%). Whilst having primary education or above, living in a city, husband’s education significantly increased the use of effective methods (p<0.001), age, gravida, economic status, occupation, type of family, husband’s occupation had no effect (p>0.05).

Conclusion: The rate of using family planning methods among the women was rather high. While both women and their partners’ education levels were increasing, using rates of the modern family planning methods were getting higher.

Keywords: Contraceptive methods, sociodemographic features, woman