Pre-Marital Screening System Proposed to Combat Stunting in Indonesia

Putri Nirmalasari, a Nutrition Science student at Universitas Ahmad Dahlan (UAD), secured first place in both the Best Article and Best Presenter categories at a national scientific article competition organised by UAD’s Student and Alumni Bureau. Her winning article, titled ‘Early Marriage and Maternal Age: The Overlooked Determinants of Stunting,’ addresses the high stunting rate in Indonesia, linking it not only to nutritional factors but also significantly to the mother’s age at childbirth. The inspiration came from a real case she encountered of a baby in East Nusa Tenggara born with a below-standard body length to a 16-year-old mother, illustrating how stunting is inseparable from the prevalent phenomenon of early marriage.

Unlike many studies that merely highlight the problem, Putri’s work offers evidence-based solutions. She proposes integrating stunting prevention into the pre-marital system through three key breakthroughs: mandatory nutritional status screening for prospective brides, a nutrition and reproductive health-based pre-marital course with a graduation exam, and strengthening the role of Religious Affairs Offices (KUA) as the frontline in stunting prevention. Putri hopes her upstream intervention concept will not remain just a paper but will be implemented, particularly in regions with high rates of early marriage and stunting. She envisions the idea serving as a consideration for the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Religious Affairs, and the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) in formulating more holistic and preventive policies. She also encourages fellow students to not only criticise existing issues but to dare to offer concrete, measurable, and applicable solutions.