Religious and sociological perspectives on reproductive rights: A qualitative case study of rural Muslim communities in Indonesia

Abstract

This qualitative case study examines the fulfillment of reproductive rights among women during the childbearing period in a rural Muslim context in Indonesia. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with seven married Muslim women aged 20–45 years in North Lampung and were analyzed thematically using the Miles and Huberman framework. The findings reveal five main empirical themes: negotiated reproductive autonomy within Islamic family planning, structural and administrative barriers to reproductive health services, reliance on informal and religious sources of information, social pressure related to unplanned pregnancy, and limited recognition of reproductive and sexual coercion within marriage. Although participants showed growing awareness and adaptive agency, patriarchal norms, service constraints, and gaps in culturally responsive education continued to limit reproductive autonomy. These findings emphasize the need for gender-responsive and culturally sensitive reproductive health policies that integrate Islamic values, strengthen community-based education, and improve equitable access to reproductive health services in rural Muslim settings. (Afr J Reprod Health 2026; 30 [19]:104-117).