High cost of living impacts fertility rate - Expert

SHAH ALAM - The high cost of living is among the challenges couples face in having more children, contributing to the decline in Malaysia's Total Fertility Rate (TFR).

Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia reproductive consultant Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Azrai Abu said that various social factors contributed to this trend.

"If we observe the current situation, many women with careers are delaying marriage or having children, which makes it more difficult for them to conceive later in life," he told Sinar when contacted yesterday.

Dr Azrai also pointed out that health issues related to obesity, often resulting from an unbalanced diet, can lead to fertility problems, such as polycystic ovary syndrome.

His comments were in response to remarks made by the Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri regarding the significant decline in TFR among Malaysians.

The Key Statistics Report 2023 by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) indicated that Malaysia's TFR has dropped from 2.1 children per woman in 2010 to 1.6 children per woman in 2022.

To address this decline, Dr Azrai suggested that the government could implement measures such as providing incentives for citizens to have children, similar to initiatives in Sweden.

"Employers could consider offering longer maternity leave for both husbands and wives.

"Creating a more baby-friendly work environment, such as providing childcare centres at the workplace, could also help increase the TFR, enabling women's careers to progress alongside family development," he added.

When asked about the potential impact of a continued decline in TFR, Dr Azrai warned that it could affect the future job market, which depends on a steady influx of young workers.

He also noted that a shrinking local workforce might lead to increased reliance on foreign workers.