Malaysia’s total fertility rate (TFR) fell below replacement level, declining from 2.1 children per woman in 2010 to 1.6 in 2022, an official told the country’s parliament on Friday.

Among the reasons for the decrease are linked to marriage age decisions and infertility issues, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri said in a parliamentary reply on the country’s fertility trends.

“The TFR for all major ethnic groups in Malaysia shows a declining trend between 2010 and 2022; the TFR for Malays decreased from 2.6 children to 2.0 children, Chinese (from 1.5 children to 0.8 children), and Indians (from 1.7 children to 1.1 children),” she said.

“The TFR for the Chinese and Indian ethnic groups has been below replacement levels since 2003 and 2005, respectively,” she added.

Ms Shukri said the ministry’s National Population and Family Development Board had implemented various initiatives to address infertility issues.

“These initiatives include offering affordable fertility treatment services for sub-fertility since 1979.

She said all married couples are eligible for treatment, and as of 2023, over 6,000 successful pregnancies had been recorded.

Ms Shukri added that a men’s health and wellness clinic offering health screening tests, sexual issue counselling, healthy lifestyle practices, and medication to improve male fertility to address increasing male infertility issues had also been established.

(Xinhua/NAN)