KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has recorded a significant reduction in its maternal mortality ratio since the 1970s, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He said data from the Statistics Department showed that in 2024, there were 25 maternal deaths and 6.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
This compares with the 1970s, when maternal deaths ranged from 70 to 140 and infant deaths were 41.4 per 1,000 live births.
However, Dzulkefly noted that the country’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has continued to decline, from 1.7 children per woman in 2023 to 1.6 in 2024.
“Malaysia has been experiencing a TFR below the replacement level of 2.1 since 2013,” he said in a parliamentary written reply.
Dzulkefly was responding to Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan, who asked about the Health Ministry’s plans to reduce high-risk pregnancy rates and efforts to raise awareness on the issue.
He explained that high-risk pregnancies are those with a higher probability of complications for the mother, foetus, or both, potentially leading to death.
Medical factors contributing to such risks include chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, advanced maternal age (36 years and above), obstetric history, and nutritional factors.
“Social and environmental factors also play a role,” he added.
To address this, the Health Ministry has been reducing high-risk pregnancy rates through the Safe Motherhood Initiative, a comprehensive, evidence-based programme that emphasises equality, integrated and continuous care for all mothers, particularly those in high-risk categories.
The initiative focuses on five core areas: pre-pregnancy services, care during pregnancy, delivery by trained personnel, postnatal care, and strengthening health education to ensure safe pregnancies and births.
