Social remittances and migrant selectivity: the effect of household migration on women's reproductive health behaviors and attitudes in Turkey

Kari White, University of Texas at Austin

This study aims to add to the literature on Turkish migration and social change by assessing at the relationship between household migration status and women’s fertility behaviors and attitudes. Transnational ties between family members living in abroad and those who remain in their communities of origin create opportunities for social remittances or the reinforcement of characteristics upon which migrant households are selected. Using data from the 2003 Turkish Demographic and Health Survey, this study used logistic regression to identify differences between women living in migrant and non-migrant households in ever use of modern contraception and ideal family size. In multivariate models, living in a migrant household was not associated with modern method use or higher ideal family size. Factors hypothesized to be associated with the influence of transnational social networks, did not differ significantly between the two groups. Heterogeneity of migrant populations and broader social changes in Turkey may explain these findings.