GEORGE TOWN: Between 10% and 15% increase in childbirths are expected in Penang this year, as some families work towards having a Dragon Year baby, according to obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr S. Somaskandar (pic).
“So far, the increase has been felt with additional childbirths of about three per day at my workplace,” he said, adding that Gleneagles Medical Centre (GMC) Penang receives between 60 to 80 childbirths a month on average in other years.
“Many parents want a child born in the year as they believe that a child born in the Year of the Dragon will be active, strong and showered with good luck.
“Such a blessing does not fall only for the child, but also the family.
“Hence, many families are considered to be fortunate if there is at least a ‘dragon’ in it,” he said.
The birthrate among Malaysia’s Chinese are the lowest in the country, registering only 0.8 per person since 2021.
The last Year of the Dragon was 2012, and the birthrate saw a spike of 1.7 compared with 1.6 in the year before that but since then, birthrates among Chinese Malaysians had been steadily dropping.
Dr Somaskandar, who has been practising for over 25 years, said during each Year of the Dragon which occurs every 12 years, the desirability
for a child grows among parents especially within the Chinese community.
He said to plan for a child to be born within the year, parents often make additional effort.
“After getting married and if the Dragon Year is on its way, they will wait and work hard when the year is approaching.
“There have been parents who already have children in the family but are seeking methods including in-vitro fertilization for the sake of having another child within the year.
“Many would come and perform health checks between three to six months to ensure all is in order before working towards producing the baby,” he said.
Dr Somaskandar said with positive feedback from patients, the increase in childbirth is expected to be significant this year.
However, Dr Somaskandar added that not all Chinese were keen for Dragon babies, with some preferring their child to be born in other years instead.
“About 80% of the Chinese are keen, but there are those who prefer for their child to be born years apart from the dragon.
“They believe that when many babies are born in the same year, it will lead to additional competition in confinement homes and later on in schools,” he said.
Sunway Medical Centre Penang in a statement said within the first 11 days of the Dragon Year, a 15% increase in baby deliveries were recorded compared to the same period last year.
“It is likely an exciting year for the expecting parents. As the Dragon Year has always been seen as an auspicious year, we are expecting a higher birth rate in our hospital this year,” it said.
According to statistics, the total number of births in the country also shows a slight increase of between 2.7% and 4.7% in each Dragon Year compared with the preceding year.
According to data.gov.my, October has been the most popular month for childbirths in the country in 1976, 1988, 2000 and 2012.
The dragon, being the only mythical beast in the Chinese zodiac, is universally recognised as a strong symbol of power and greatness. In Chinese, it is a symbol representing authority, prosperity, and good fortune.
