The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called for the implementation of comprehensive sexual education backed by science to curb incidence of unwed pregnancies.
The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called for the implementation of comprehensive sexual education backed by science to curb incidence of unwed pregnancies.
Its president Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai said across the world, the implementation of comprehensive sexual education with access to reproductive health services had been shown to not only reduce unplanned pregnancies and thus out of wedlock pregnancies but also leads to a reduction in incidence of sexual activity in the young and sexually transmitted diseases.
“We urge and appeal to all authorities and lawmakers concerned to implement what had been scientifically shown to be effective and to approach this life changing issue for women, girls, families, communities and the nation with compassion and to place health as the utmost priority,” he said in a statement today.
Dr Muruga said Malaysian Medical Association took note with trepidation and concern the recent amendments to the Terengganu state Shariah laws that criminalises pregnancy and childbirth out of wedlock for Muslim women.
“Out of wedlock pregnancies and childbirths often arises from unplanned pregnancies among young adults or adolescents due to lack of education and access to services regarding reproductive health.
“The dire consequences of unplanned pregnancies range from septic abortions, baby dumping, preterm labour, maternal and neonatal morbidity including deaths among others,” he said.
Dr Muruga said where childbirth and pregnancy are concerned, global data and research had shown repetitively that punitive actions and restrictive laws only served to convert safe antenatal care and delivery for many women and adolescents to one of unsafe pregnancy and childbirth fraught with life threatening circumstances and possibility of permanent harm to health.
“Punitive actions had not been shown to ever decrease unplanned pregnancies in the many decades of research.
“The current climate of fear and stigmatisation of unwed mothers had already resulted in many negative consequences for many involved such as school dropouts, stopping work, poverty, domestic violence and ill health, both physically and mentally,” he said.
According to Dr Muruga, Malaysia’s national data had recorded one of the highest maternal mortality rates in 2021 at 68.2 per 100,000 live births.
In addition, the baby dumping rate of 100 per year for the past few decades had never decreased and sexual activity among the youths with very little knowledge of reproductive health is rising rapidly, he added.
Originally published at Borneo Post Online