Burcu BEYAZGÜL, Evin KIRMIZITOPRAK
Acta Medica Ruha - 2026;4(3):126-131
Introduction: Family planning decision-making is influenced not only by contraceptive knowledge but also by culturally embedded beliefs and misconceptions surrounding reproductive health. Objective: This study examined whether family planning myths mediate the relationship between family planning knowledge and risky contraceptive behaviours among married women in Şanlıurfa, Türkiye, who were not planning pregnancy within the following six months. Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional survey. Data were collected online from 319 women of reproductive age using measures of family planning knowledge, family planning myths and risky contraceptive behaviours. Correlation analyses and path analysis within a structural equation modelling framework were conducted, and indirect effects were tested using bootstrap analysis with 5000 resamples. Results: Family planning knowledge was negatively associated with family planning myths (beta = -0.150, p = 0.007), while family planning myths were positively associated with risky contraceptive behaviours (beta = 0.154, p = 0.006). The direct association between family planning knowledge and risky contraceptive behaviours was not statistically significant (beta = -0.051, p = 0.361), although an indirect pathway through family planning myths was observed. Conclusion: The findings suggest that misconceptions surrounding contraception may function as culturally transmitted cognitive barriers limiting the translation of knowledge into safer reproductive health behaviours. Addressing family planning myths within culturally and psychologically informed counselling approaches may therefore be important for improving contraceptive decision-making and reproductive health outcomes.
