"In 2012 the fertility rate in Indonesia was 2.6 and the figure remains the same up to the present. It means the family planning program in the past 10 years has failed," the minister said after opening the Working Meeting of the Health Area of Riau Islands Province 2013.
She said the fertility rate in 2014 should be 2.1 in accordance with the target of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) but in reality the figure was stagnant in 2012.
"In reality, marriage age at present tends to decline because more and more many people under 20 years get married. Even there are many young mothers under 15-20 years of age," the minister pointed out.
The health minister added that early marriage rate is prevalent in rural areas while in urban areas it was not very high.
"The early marriage in Indonesia also increases the risk of maternal mortality rate because of rudimentary reproduction system," she said.
According to her, mothers who give birth when they are over 35 years old is also risky.
Meanwhile, the Riau Islands provincial chapter of the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) spokesman, Mambang Marsudi, said fertility rate in the province at present was 2.6.
(O001/F001)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
