Early marriage remains common in Indonesia, especially in smaller towns and rural communities. Some families still view marrying young as part of tradition or as a way to prevent adultery. Yet from both physical and mental health perspectives, early marriage carries multiple risks.

The Risks of Early Marriage

UNICEF defines early marriage as a formal or informal union in which at least one partner is under 18 years old. Early marriage can occur when one or both of the individuals marries within that age range. Since the enactment of Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 16 of 2019, the minimum legal age for marriage is 19 for both men and women. If the bride or groom has not reached this age, the union is categorized as early.

The government’s decision to raise the minimum age is supported by research showing that early marriage poses significant health risks, both physically and mentally for children. Early marriage frequently leads to early pregnancy, which can endanger both mother and fetus, and it is also linked to a higher likelihood of divorce.

Some of the dangers of early marriage include:

1. Mental Health Disorders

Early marriage increases the risk of mental health problems such as depression and loneliness. In many cases, girls are expected to immediately live with their husbands and take on adult responsibilities as wives. Such abrupt life changes can trigger depressive symptoms in those who marry at a very young age.

UNICEF also notes that early marriage robs children of their childhood, cutting short education and the typical activities of adolescence. This loss can make couples in early marriages feel as though their youth has been taken from them, contributing to stress and depression.

2. Risks of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Cervical Cancer

Early marriage is often associated with sexually transmitted infections and a higher risk of cervical cancer. In child marriages where the male partner is older, has been married before, or has had multiple sexual partners, the young wife faces an increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections.

Additionally, limited awareness or use of contraception raises the chance of infection and of pregnancy at a very young age. Underdeveloped reproductive organs may heighten the risk of HIV and facilitate transmission of HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer.

3. Complications of Pregnancy and Childbirth

Early marriage is closely tied to early pregnancy. A study in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that women who marry during their teenage years face higher risks of complications such as eclampsia, hemorrhage, and sepsis. Early pregnancy is also linked to longer labor and other delivery complications. Babies born to very young mothers are more prone to health problems, which raises the risk of infant death.

4. Medical Conditions of Newborns

Infants born from early marriages and early pregnancies face a greater chance of low birth weight. Research shows that babies with low birth weight have a higher risk of dying in infancy. Contributing factors include inadequate maternal and infant nutrition, the mother’s physical and emotional immaturity, limited access to social and reproductive health services, and heightened exposure to infectious diseases.

Early marriage affects not only the couple but also the long-term well-being of future children. The practice needs to be reconsidered from multiple angles, such as economic factors, physical and mental health, and the maturity of prospective spouses. Broad collaboration is needed to reduce marriage rates at very young ages and to prevent early pregnancies.

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