International Handbook of Adolescent Pregnancy

Type Book Section - Sociocultural Context of Adolescent Pregnancy, Sexual Relationships in Indonesia, and Their Implications for Public Health Policies
Title International Handbook of Adolescent Pregnancy
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2014
Page numbers 359-378
Publisher Springer
URL https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4899-8026-7_19
Abstract
Contextual reference is made to the broad sociopolitical profile of this enormous archipelago and the basic parameters of adolescent fertility, age of first intercourse, marriage patterns, contraceptive use, and levels of education. It is noted that while adolescent pregnancy outside marriage is relatively low compared with many other countries, medical authorities have long been concerned with the range of health consequences it has for young mothers. The chapter then goes on to explore youth sexual culture in more depth with reference to cultural norms and values, and recently, primarily qualitative research findings that provide a rich insight into Indonesian (particularly Javanese) youth’s experience of premarital sexual relationships and the personal interaction that regulates premarital intercourse. For instance, adolescent pregnancy is very common in Indonesia, but only considered to be a social problem by the general populace in those relatively rare instances where it takes place outside marriage. In contrast, there has long been great concern within Indonesian medical circles with a range of medical consequences associated with (such primarily marital) adolescent pregnancy and the political obstacles that prevent health practitioners from addressing the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of unmarried adolescents. The final section reviews the wide range of educational and health initiatives that have been developed to address adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Indonesia.

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