Baby boom has locals worried

All wrapped up: An obstetrician-gynaecologist adjusting her protective gear prior to meeting her patients at the RSIA Tambak hospital in Jakarta. — AFP

With her husband left jobless by the pandemic, the last thing Indonesian mother Juarsih needed was to get pregnant, but now she’s expecting a third child – one of many in the country anxiously preparing for a Covid-fuelled baby boom.

Indonesian authorities believe there could be 400,000 more births than usual next year as lockdowns keep couples at home and cut access to contraception, prompting fears of an increase in abortions and stunting of children in poorer families.