Is women’s social independence a strong determinant for the reproductive health-related outcomes of the Turkish population?

There is growing recognition of the importance of women's empowerment in achieving reproductive health goals. This study examined the relationships between various reproductive health outcomes and social independence using data from the 2018 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey. Social independence was measured by a modified form of the Survey-based Women's Empowerment (SWPER) Global Index's social independence domain. Adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated for the eight dependent variables by social independence quintiles. A total of 5,156 married women were analyzed. In the lower social independence quintiles, the prevalence ratios for having four or more births, having more children than the desired number, having an unwanted birth, using female-only contraceptive methods, induced abortions, and miscarriages were significantly higher than in the highest quintile. The study emphasizes the necessity of integrating women's empowerment into reproductive health policies by providing evidence that women's social independence is a strong predictor of numerous reproductive health outcomes.