Women should understand the condition of their bodies before deciding to get pregnantJakarta (ANTARA) - National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) Head Hasto Wardoyo urged woman planning to get pregnant to undergo health screening before marriage to examine their health and nutritional condition to prevent stunting at birth.
"Women should understand the condition of their bodies before deciding to get pregnant. The BKKBN could not prohibit marriages, but we urge prospective mothers to get a health screening done before marriage to examine their nutritional condition," Wardoyo stated during the BKKBN award event for East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa viewed from Jakarta, Monday.
Despite living conditions and environmental and poverty factors contributing to some 70 percent of the cases of stunting at birth, maternal health conditions were causal to around 30 percent of the cases of stunting, he explained.
Wardoyo pointed out that around 20 percent of the cases reported babies born with a substandard body length of less than 48 cm, and premature births accounted for around 25 percent of the total cases.
The BKKBN head suggested women to not marry and become pregnant at a very early age, and prospective mothers should especially pay attention to their health condition before deciding to be pregnant, so as to prevent stunting at birth.
"I suggest prospective mothers to prepare and improve their body's nutritional situation for at least three months to reduce the risk of stunting," he stated.
Wardoyo remarked that apart from examining the nutritional situation, a prospective mother should also examine her physical health by reviewing her body weight, height, and upper arm circumference. Checking the body's hemoglobin level is also important to reduce the stunting risk.
"Women can easily check their hemoglobin levels at the closest public health facility, as it is not complicated. By reviewing the hemoglobin level and other factors, an expectant mother then could see whether her body is ready for pregnancy," he noted.
In line with Presidential Regulation No. 72 of 2021 on stunting prevention measures, the government and the BKKBN are currently endeavoring to reduce the nationwide stunting rate to 14 percent by 2024.
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Translator: Hreeloita DS, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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