Caesarean in Malaysia

Although official statistics on caesarean rates here are not available, the medicalisation of childbirth can be expected to prevail here as modern healthcare practices rule our lives. The following are 2 local studies that provide some statistics related to childbirth and caesarean.

Sudden Maternal Deaths

A local study of maternal deaths in Malaysia that occurred within 24 hours of delivery, abortion or operative termination of pregnancy (defined as sudden deaths) in the years 1995-1996 at the Seremban Hospital revealed the following:

There were 131 sudden maternal deaths (20.6% of all maternal deaths). Postpartum haemorrhage, obstetric embolisms, trauma and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy where the main causes.

The proportion of mothers who had no obstetric risk factors in the pregnancy were the main causes.

20 mothers died after a caesarean section.

(Source: “Sudden Maternal Deaths in Malaysia: A Case Report”, by Jegasothy R., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seremban Hospital , published in Journal of Obstetrics and Gyneacology Research, August 2002)

Birth Defects

Another local study which looked at major birth defects in births during the perinatal period in Kinta district, Perak, over a 14-month period, using a population-based birth defect register, found the following:

There were 253 babies with major birth defects in 17,720 births, giving an incidence of 14.2/1000 births, a birth prevalence of 1 in 70.

There were 80 babies with multiple birth defects and 173 with isolated birth defects.

The babies with major birth defects were associated with lower birth weights, premature deliveries, higher caesarean section rates, prolonged hospitalization and increased specialist care.

(Source: “A Population-based Study of Birth Defects in Malaysia” by the Department of Pediatrics of the University of Malaya’s Faculty of Medicine, which appeared in the Annals of Human Biology, March-April)