Highly Educated and Professional, Middle Class Women with Reproductive Health Problems Between Biomedicine and Complementary and Alternative Medicine: A Case Study in Türkiye
Author: Tugba Özcan, tugbaderin.can@gmail.com
Department: Sociology
University: METU, Turkey
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Ayse Gündüz Hosgör
Year of completion: 2024
Language of dissertation: English
Keywords:
women's reproductive health
, biopsychosocial medicine
, TCAM
, alternative therapies
Areas of Research:
Body in the Social Sciences
, Health
, Women in Society
Abstract
This dissertation explores the use of alternative and traditional medicine for reproductive health among highly educated, professional, middle-class women in Türkiye. The aim of this study is to understand why women turn to traditional and alternative medical methods despite having access to biomedical methods, and to understand what these practices offer in the physical, psychological, and social realms. The significance of this dissertation lies in its critical examination of historical and contemporary approaches to women’s reproductive health, adopting a radical feminist perspective that addresses the often overlooked aspects of women’s health. The study seeks to rethink the dominant narratives by challenging development policies that view women’s reproductive health as a tool for population control in developing countries, as well as the liberal, choice-focused model framed within a rights’ discourse. The research is based on a qualitative study involving indepth interviews with 18 women from different cities of Türkiye and participant observation methods. The findings reveal that women’s preference for traditional medical practices stems from dissatisfaction in the modern healthcare system, the lack of results from prolonged treatments, and the presence of sexist attitudes in doctor-patient relationships. The study emphasizes that addressing women’s reproductive health issues not only in biological terms but also in psychological and social dimensions plays a crucial role. This research contributes new and significant insights into women’s reproductive health and the use of TCAM in Türkiye, opening up discussions on social relationships, women’s solidarity, collective consciousness, and embodiment of women body.
