Birth Rate Decline as Couples Prioritise Child Quality of Life
The phenomenon of declining birth rates in Indonesia is no longer merely a population issue, but rather a reflection of changing lifestyles and worldviews among modern married couples.
The decision to have children is no longer viewed as an automatic obligation following marriage, but rather as a major responsibility requiring careful planning.
According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia’s total fertility rate (TFR) has continued to decline over the past five decades. If the 1971 Population Census recorded a TFR of 5.61, this figure dropped sharply to 2.18 according to the 2020 Census data. This significant decline signals that fewer children are being born to each woman of reproductive age.
Couples tend to establish themselves first—both physically and mentally—before taking on the responsibility of parenthood.
Fitri Jayanthi, M.Psi., Psychologist and founder of mental health services Cup of Stories, revealed that awareness of mental health has become a key factor in why couples tend to delay or limit the number of children.
“Currently, many couples express that they must consider many things first before having children,” said Fitri when contacted on Monday (2 March 2026).
They want to ensure that childhood trauma or unresolved inner child issues do not pass down to their children.
“They are preparing mentally to take on the role of parents, because many of them have not yet been able to properly confront their own inner child,” she said.
Clinical psychologist Adelia Octavia Siswoyo noted that young couples today can easily learn about the risks, costs, and real challenges of raising children through the widely shared experiences of others.
“With the ease of internet access and mass media becoming part of daily life for the new generation, awareness of the challenges that come with having children should naturally develop,” she said on Monday.
This has made the decision to have children more planned compared to previous generations. This is because couples have established themselves well before deciding to have children.