Differentials in receiving postpartum care and its determinants in Turkey

Ahmet Sinan Turkyilmaz, Hacettepe University
Ayse Abbasoglu-Ozgoren, Hacettepe University
Dilek Yildiz, Hacettepe University

The aim of this paper is to analyze the differentials in receiving postpartum care and the determinants of receiving postpartum care by women and infants as a first in Turkey, using data from Turkey Demographic and Health Survey 2008 within a modified version of the conceptual framework developed by Fort et al (2006). Descriptive analyses indicate that majority of women and infants receive postpartum care in Turkey although there are disadvantaged groups. The analysis of the determinants of receiving postpartum care by mothers indicate that the variables, which have the most explanatory power in determining postpartum care of women, are of health-related ones that are directly related to health and/or birth. Following these variables, economic characteristics and education are observed to be effective. Similarly for infants; bio-demographic or health-related characteristics, health coverage, educational level of the mother are found to be the determinants of postpartum care and additionally the region.