Head Of BKKBN: Contraception Usage Can Prevent Autism In Children

Head of the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) Hasto Wardoyo stated that the use of contraception can prevent autism or developmental disorders that cause children to have difficulty communicating.

"As a serious concern too, in addition to correlating with stunting reduction, the use of contraception also correlates positively to prevent autism. Of course we don't want, even if it's not stunted, it's autism or has mental and emotional disorders, like that," said Hasto at the moment of World Contraception Day which was commemorated on September 26, Tuesday, September 26, was confiscated by Antara.

For this reason, he invites all couples after delivery to use contraception as a way to regulate birth distances.

"The World Health Organization (WHO) mandates a gestational distance of 36 months, so the existing regulations are very good, the answer is only one, everything that is post-treatment should have a contradiction," he said.

According to him, the government still has the task of reducing unwanted birth rates or unmet needs, considering that the percentage of mothers who have just given birth and immediately have contraceptions is still small.

"There are 4.8 million that give birth every year, and we are aware that only 29 percent of the contraception is willing to be immediately. This is our common challenge for unmet need," he said.

This obstetrician emphasized that the distance between pregnancy, breastfeeding time, and the growth and development of a child has also been regulated in the holy book.

"The rate of pregnancy is recommended in the 30 month book, breastfeeding is perfectly ordered for up to 24 months, the crown is closed 24 months or 1000 days, this is very correlated, so the rules that we have made are in accordance with (religious teachings)," he explained, quoted from Antara.

In order to improve contraceptive services, BKKBN also invites all ranks of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) and health facilities throughout Indonesia to work hand in hand and continue to collaborate.

Our efforts continue to collaborate with multi-party parties to maintain contraceptive participation, including with the ranks of the TNI. Although the prevalence of modern contraception has not exceeded 60 percent and the use of long-term contraception is still not as expected, there is one thing we note, the total fertility rate according to the Central Statistics Agency has reached the target, which is 2.18," he said.

The total fertility rate is that on average, women give birth to a child during their reproductive period. The figure of 2.18 means that women in Indonesia who are married at fertile age give birth to an average of two children.

For this reason, with this achievement, Hasto advised all couples in their fertile age to immediately use contraception after delivery.

"Those with good fertility rates, but not using contraception are useless, will result in unwanted births, so that we need to continue to increase the prevalence of modern contraception use until we meet the 60 percent target, currently it is still 59 percent," he said.