Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) has said that contraception or family planning has an essential role in preventing stunting and reducing maternal mortality.

"Do not separate family planning program and stunting prevention because they are highly related," the director of family planning services for special regions at BKKBN, Dr. Fajar Firdawati, said at an online discussion on Tuesday.

According to her, in terms of reduction in the maternal mortality ratio (MMR), once family planning participation reaches 64.2 percent globally, the MMR would decline by 44 percent.

She explained that family planning is a measure to adjust the birth of children, the spacing and ideal age of giving birth, control pregnancy through promotion and protection, as well as assistance in accordance with reproductive rights to create a quality family.

Firdawati said that if the family planning program coverage reaches 100 percent, it will reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies by 70 percent, the number of unsafe abortions by 74 percent, the number of maternal deaths by 25 percent, and the number of newborn deaths by 18 percent.

"Family planning is one of the pillars for reducing MMR based on safe motherhood," she added.

The four pillars of safe motherhood propounded by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987 comprise family planning, antenatal care, safe and clean childbirth, as well as essential obstetric services in the form of primary healthcare and women's empowerment.

She said that there are 11 types of contraception methods that encompass both modern and traditional methods.

"Modern contraception consists of Cu (copper) and LNG (levonorgestrel intrauterine systems) intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs), implants, injections, pills, condoms, tubectomy or female surgical method (MOW), vasectomy or male surgical method (MOP), and lactational amenorrhea method," she explained.

"Traditional contraception comprises being aware of the fertile period and coitus interruptus," she added.

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Translator: Lintang Budiyanti, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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