Reproductive Health Impacts of Child Marriage

Abstract

Around 650 million girls in the world alive today are married before the age of 18, and Indonesia ranks 8th in the world. Child marriage is a violation of human rights and has many detrimental impacts on women, families, society and the country. The research aims to understand the impact of reproductive health on women who enter into child marriage

This research used a qualitative phenomenological method which was carried out on 8 girls aged less than 18 years who had married religiously or according to state law. The research was conducted through in-depth interviews with informants consisting of girls, parents and companions from the Women's Crisis Centre and the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Service

The results of this research illustrate very worrying facts, where these girls experience unwanted pregnancies, poor health during pregnancy, difficult births, difficult to breastfeed, unable care for babies and unable to continue their education. Psychologically they are very devastated, regretful and take a long time to get up

Most of them get married because of free sex which results in pregnancy, religious understanding regarding behaviors that is allowed and not allowed, sexual education, individual maturity and the ability to refuse free sex are prevention efforts that must be carried out by families, schools and society.  Support from various parties is needed so that they can get through this difficult time and be able to continue their lives better because they have rights like everyone else.