INTERACTIVE: Malaysia’s growing small baby problem

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI

PETALING JAYA: The percentage of babies born underweight is going up in Malaysia, with experts describing the trend as worrying.

Figures from the Statistics Department show that 12.9% (54,618) of the country’s live births in 2022 were classified as low birth weight (LBW).

In 2010 the percentage of LBW newborns stood at 11.2% (54,964) of live births.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines LBW babies as those born with a weight of less than 2,500 grams.

According to the WHO, the proportion of infants with a low birth weight is an indicator of a multifaceted public health problem that includes long-term maternal malnutrition, ill-health and poor health care in pregnancy.

“Despite Malaysia's status as an upper-middle-income economy, the prevalence of low birth weight indicates that food security remains a substantial challenge for a significant segment of the population especially for pregnant mothers,” said consultant paediatrician Datuk Dr Amar Singh HSS when asked about the trend.

He said that a lack of prenatal care, malnutrition or the inability of mothers to attain a proper diet during pregnancy were among the causes of LBW in Malaysia.

 

 

Not all LBW babies develop health problems, but experts said some face greater risk of various ailments (see related story).

Fertility rates have fallen sharply over the years in Malaysia with the number of babies born down by 13.9% to 423,124 in 2022 compared with 491,239 in 2010.

 

 

The country’s LBW figures, published in the 2022 Vital Statistics Malaysia report, shows that mothers under the age of 20 years were the most at risk of having such babies.

They made up 22.76% of mothers giving birth to LBW babies, followed by women aged 45 to 49 (18.84%) and those aged 20 to 24 (15.92%).

“Teenage mothers tend to have a higher rate of premature deliveries, which leads to a greater number of low birth weight babies.

“The higher chance of LBW newborns for older pregnant mothers aged 40 to 49 is because they have higher generic risks like gestational diabetes, preterm delivery, hypertension,” said Dr Amar.

 

 

He said the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2022 revealed that 19.3% of women of reproductive age are anaemic, which indicates a potential nutritional challenge facing the country.

“It is particularly alarming that the under-five mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) has escalated from 7.3 in 2020 to 8.6 in 2022, as reported by the Health Ministry's Health Facts 2023," he said.

“These are among Malaysia’s health issues that may be linked to the rising of low birth weight rates,” he said.

Consultant paediatrician Datuk Dr Musa Nordin said LBW babies account for 60% to 70% of infant deaths in the first week of life.

“LBW babies also have a higher risk of various diseases in the first few days of life and long term.

“It is timely for Malaysians to be aware of the importance of this issue,” he added.

The WHO and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) estimate that 14.7% of babies born worldwide in 2020 were of low birth weight and these infants had a higher likelihood of mortality in their first month.

Survivors often face lifelong implications, including an increased risk of stunted growth, lower IQ, and the onset of chronic adult conditions like obesity and diabetes. 

This article is part of the StarPlus data and visual series on issues that range from abandoned babies to abused children, to highlight the plight of young, vulnerable Malaysians.
 


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