Fertility problems among men in Malaysia alarming, says deputy minister

KUALA LUMPUR: Male infertility problems in this country are at an alarming level, the Dewan Negara was told on Wednesday (April 5).

Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Aiman Athirah Sabu said this was based on sperm analysis data from the National Population and Family Development Board which found that 60 per cent of the tests showed abnormal results.

"This directly contributes to the increase in fertility problems in married couples in Malaysia.

"At the same time, the birth rate in our country also showed a downward trend over the last 40 years, and it is closely related to the fertility rate, with the data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia showing 1.7 children per every married woman in 2021,” she said during the question and answer session.

She was responding to a question from Senator Datuk Dr Dominic Lau Hoe Chai about the action taken by the ministry to deal with the declining birth rate in this country.

Elaborating, Aiman Athirah said in October last year, the Men Wellness Clinic started operating at the board's subfertility clinic in the federal capital, and the service will be expanded to six other LPPKN clinics in the peninsula and Sarawak this year.

"This clinic offers health screening services, consultation for sexual problems and healthy living practices, as well as medical treatment to increase fertility.

"To help married couples deal with fertility problems, the board has been offering fertility treatment since 1979, namely at the subfertility clinic in Penang for the northern zone, in Kuala Lumpur for the central zone and in Johor for the southern zone,” she said.

According to Aiman Athirah, the initiative has resulted in 6,000 pregnancies and 4,000 births so far, which is on par with international fertility treatment centres.

Meanwhile, she said among the factors contributing to the decline in the fertility rate are changes in lifestyle and the high cost of living, the participation of women in the labour force as well as late marriage leading to a shorter reproductive age.- Bernama