Breastfeeding, Amenorrhea, and Abstinence in a Javanese Village: A Case Study of Mojolama

Factors that contribute to low fertility rates among Javanese women were investigated in a survey of 772 ever-married women in the village of Mojolama. The average duration of breast-feeding was 25.6 months, with the median being just over 26 months. 39% of the women reported that postpartum amenorrhea lasted not quite 27 months. More than 60% of the women believed, for various reasons, that they should abstain from sexual intercourse until weaning. Older women tended to abstain longer, as was the case with breast-feeding. On the average, breast-feeding for 17 months corresponded to a birth interval of 18-23 months, while breast-feeding for 28 months corresponded to a birth interval of 48 months or more. Certain cross-cultural comparisons regarding these factors are made, and the implications of the findings for family planning programs are discussed.