Contraceptive Gap in Indonesia Between Women and Men

Indonesian society continues to experience a gap in contraceptive usage, which remains heavily dominated by women. According to data from the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), there are approximately 76 million families in Indonesia. Of that number, 40 million are couples of fertile age, and about 25 million are active contraceptive users. Meanwhile, male contraceptive users currently number close to 1 million.

“Specifically, there are over 920,000 users of condoms, and approximately 31,390 users of vasectomies. Therefore, in terms of percentage, the figure is still very small,” said the Deputy for Family Planning and Reproductive Health at the Ministry of Population and Family Development/BKKBN, Wahidin, during an online briefing on Tuesday (30/6).

He noted that the issue of male contraceptive use is quite complex. “The main obstacle is the limited choice of contraceptive types. Currently, there are only two options for men: condoms and vasectomy, which remains a significant hurdle,” he explained.

However, he expressed confidence that with advancements in science and technology, the possibility of injectable contraceptives for men may emerge in the future.

Furthermore, Wahidin highlighted that the role of husbands or fathers is inseparable from successful family planning. The role of the father is evident when they accompany their pregnant wives to check-ups with midwives or doctors.

“We are educating husbands; the core idea is that husbands must accompany their wives, from the initial examination through to childbirth,” he said.

Men are encouraged to utilise contraception within 42 days after their wife gives birth. This is because many cases in Indonesia involve pregnancies occurring before this window has passed. “There are many cases where pregnancy occurs when the baby is not yet six months old. Such pregnancies carry a potential risk of stunting,” he concluded.