Socialized Healthcare and Women’s Fertility Decisions

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of a nationwide healthcare reform implemented in Turkey on women’s fertility decisions. Established in 2005, the Family Medicine Program (FMP) provides a wide range of free-of-charge healthcare services to all Turkish citizens through neighborhood clinics. Our results indicate that the FMP significantly reduced childbearing among females at various age categories, especially teenagers and those aged 25-29. Among teenagers, the FMP had an immediate impact on childbearing that is increasing over time, suggesting that the reproductive-heath and family-planning services had a direct negative influence on unplanned pregnancies. Among non-teenage women, however, the program had a gradual and slowly-increasing impact over time, consistent with the notion that the FMP might have led to greater female empowerment. The results from an auxiliary analysis suggest that the FMP might have played a significant role in promoting gender equality and female empowerment, a finding consistent with reduced fertility.