Jakarta, ID
Monday, May 28 2012, 20:37 PM

National

Bali safe from `baby boom'

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Bali's population will increase to 3.8 million in 2015, from 3.4 million in 2008, estimates the National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN).

The board estimated the island's population would remain stable with a slight increase.

"It is unlikely that Bali will experience a baby boom. We have achieved the target of the family planning program," said I Ketut Sutjita, head of Bali's BKKBN.

In the l970s, married couples had between five and six children, while over the last few years families have had two children on average.

The number of participants in family planning programs reached 63,713 in 2009.

The board says its program has reached 84 percent of fertile couples in Bali. Around 34,009, it said, used Intra Uterine Devices (IUD), while 1716 women underwent tubectomies.

"The number of male participants that have a vasectomy is still very low," he said.

Sutjita admitted the agency faced difficulties in promoting the importance of vasectomies among males.

"Many wives discourage their husbands from having a vasectomy. They are afraid their husbands will find other women," Sutjita added.

A large number of women complain that using family planning devices such as IUDs are uncomfortable.

A lack of education and information has misled many women including 35-year-old Martini. "My midwife told me that I could give birth to five children at least," said Martini.

She added that she often heard negative stories related to family planning programs and women's fertility.

"People say that if a woman uses an IUD she could get cervical cancer," said Martini.

The director of the Indonesian Family Planning Association (PKBI), I Ketut Sukanatha, said that many women felt very depressed if they had too many children and considered having an abortion.

"We have to continually educate Indonesian women about reproductive health and family planning.

"The government has ignored the dissemination of information and education of the program at the grass-roots level," Sutjita said.