Xtra
123RF
Statistics
(Data from Department of Statistics
Malaysia)
Malaysia’s population as at 2018
Estimated population
32.4 million
Growth rate of
4
1.1 per cent from
32 million in 2017
Birth rate per year
508,203
newborn babies in 2017
Decline of
2.5 per cent from
521,136
in 2015
Falling from
528,612
live births in
2014
Fertility rate among women aged
16 – 49
1.9 in 2016 compared to
2.0 in 2015
Number of patients undergoing IVF
treatment at Ministry of Health’s
facilities by year
1,155 (2015)
884 (2016)
1,204 (2017)
Pregnancy rate from couples
undergoing IVF treatment
20
– 60 per cent
(2010 till 2017)
IVF Treatment Rise
as Birth Rates Decline
The uptrend in infertility rates becomes catalyst for the
country’s needs for more IVF treatment availability
T
HE EVER changing lifestyle over
the years – one where a typical
household will have both partners
working full time jobs - has
resulted in Malaysian couples having to
adapt to immense work stresses.
And as these Malaysians start their
family later in life due to working and career
building when they are younger, it may have
affected their ability to have children, in that
it becomes harder.
According to data from the Department
of Statistics Malaysia, the national fertility
rate this year is expected to decline to its
lowest level. To date, the Malaysia’s selected
demographic indicator shows that the
overall fertility rate is below the replacement
level of 2.1.
INFERTILITY PROBLEMS
Ministry of Health (MOH) director general
Noor Hisham Abdullah defined infertility as
the failure to conceive following 12 months of
regular unprotected coitus affecting women
of the reproductive age in an estimated one
in eight couples of all ethnicities and social
setting.
“The cause of infertility is typically not
identified in 30 per cent of troubled couples.
In another 27 per cent, the cause is caused
by ovulation disorders, while 14 per cent are
having troubles caused by tubal damage. Low
sperm count or sperm quality contributes to
yet another 19 per cent.”
“However, the presence of disorders in
both men and women has been reported
to occur in about 39 per cent of reported
infertility cases.”
This has resulted in a steady increase in
the number of couples seeking subfertility
treatments either in government hospitals
or in private In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)
centres.
“This is evident from the waiting list for
patients in IVF centres at government hos-
pitals which is in the average of six months
to one year,” Hisham said.
IVF TREATMENT LIMITED
IN PUBLIC CENTRES
IVF treatment however, is not available
throughout all states in government
hospitals.
“Currently, we have six centres that
provide the service in addition to the ones
provided in private centres. Nevertheless,