Unwanted pregnancy and traditional self-induced abortion methods known among women aged 15 to 49.

Objective: To determine the traditional methods known and used to terminate an unwanted pregnancy and the fertility characteristics of married women.

Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Turkey at Afyonkarahisar Zübeyde Hanim Child and Maternity Hospital's outpatient clinic between December 27, 2010 and January 7, 2011, and comprised married women aged 17 to 49 who presented for an examination. Questions related to socio-demographic and fertility characteristics as well as known and used traditional abortion methods were included in the questionnaire which was administered through face-to-face interviews.