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KUALA LUMPUR - Knowledge among Malaysians about family planning methods remains low, with only 34 per cent of married couples using modern contraceptives.
The findings of the Study on Family Planning Practices in Malaysia (KAPKM) also showed that misconceptions about contraceptive use had led some couples to be reluctant to use them.
National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) chairman Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the findings highlighted the need to strengthen literacy, access to and use of family planning services so that couples could make informed decisions regarding pregnancy based on their family’s needs and financial capabilities.
"This study is important because it is evidence-based and shows that knowledge about contraceptive methods remains low. We thought the public already knew about this, but the study confirms otherwise,” she told reporters after the launch of the KAPKM Report here today.
Rohani said the report also showed that the involvement of male partners in making family planning decisions was low, with most leaving the responsibility to their wives.
She added that the report identified high costs associated with family planning methods and subfertility treatments, as well as limited access to fertility treatment services.
"Social stigma against women experiencing subfertility issues persists. Often, when a couple does not conceive, the woman is blamed, whereas we need to consider the condition of both the husband and wife,” she said.
Rohani said one in five cases in the study involved couples delaying seeking help due to embarrassment or the belief that they were ‘imperfect’.
"If you have been married for one or two years and wish to have children but have not yet succeeded, please come to LPPKN for check-ups and testing so that early intervention can be carried out,” she said.
Regarding efforts to raise awareness among the approximately nine million youths, Rohani said LPPKN would continue to intensify the Kafe@TEEN programme, as well as various educational and awareness initiatives related to family planning.
She said young people need to be provided with adequate information and support to help them make decisions regarding marriage, family formation, and childbearing, including how to manage the constraints of the cost of living.
According to her, LPPKN hopes the report's findings will assist in strengthening family planning policies, programs, and service delivery. Additionally, the findings are intended to serve as a reference for policymakers, healthcare providers, academic institutions, professional bodies, and strategic partners in formulating more effective interventions.
Meanwhile, LPPKN director-general Datuk Abdul Shukur Abdullah said that the agency aims for 47,000 individuals to gain access to subfertility treatment, with 45,000 individuals having already gained such access as of September this year.
He noted that LPPKN currently operates four subfertility treatment centres - located in Kuala Lumpur, Bertam, Johor, and Kuching - and that the intrauterine insemination (IUI) treatment success rate of 15 to 20 per cent falls within the international standard range.
The KAPKM study is being conducted by the Kumpulan Perunding Universiti Malaya (UPUM) Sdn Bhd from Aug 1, 2024, to Oct 31, 2025, with funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Malaysia. - BERNAMA
