Baby boom has locals worried
WITh her husband left jobless by the pandemic, the last thing Indonesian mother Juarsih needed was to get pregnant, but now she’s expecting a third child – one of many in the country anxiously preparing for a Covid-fuelled baby boom.
Indonesian authorities believe there could be 400,000 more births than usual next year as lockdowns keep couples at home and cut access to contraception, prompting fears of an increase in abortions and stunting of children in poorer families.
Juarsih, 41, says her birth control ran out as clinics closed or slashed hours and overwhelmed hospitals struggled to keep up with mounting virus infections in the country.
The mother of two teenagers is now too scared of the deadly respiratory disease to risk going out for a pregnancy check-up in her hometown Bandung, on Java island.
“At first I was shocked when I found out that I was pregnant,” she said.
“I started feeling happy later although there’s still some sadness ... I should be grateful but this is happening at a difficult time.”
Contraception use has “dropped drastically” since the pandemic took hold across the sprawling archipelago in early March, said hasto Wardoyo, head of Indonesia’s national population and family planning board.
health authorities are worried increasing numbers of expectant parents will turn to abortions and push up maternal mortality rates.
“We’re also worried about stunting – not all families can afford proper nutrition,” he said.
With access to hospitals and contraceptives difficult, health authorities have been forced to get creative.
One campaign saw health workers in vehicles rolling through communities to announce that now wasn’t the time to have a baby.
“You can have sex,” one message blared out as workers trundled through a village.
“You can get married. But don’t get pregnant.”
“Dads, please control yourself ... You can have sex as long as you use contraception.”