Malaysia vows to strengthen measures to curb teenage pregnancy

The Malaysian government has pledged that it will further strengthen measures to effectively combat the rising cases of teenage pregnancy nationwide.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri revealed that a total of 41,842 girls aged 19 and below were registered as pregnant at government health facilities between 2020 and 2024.

Most of these cases involved Malay teenagers (50%), followed by Iban (11%), Orang Asli (9%). Chinese (5%) and Indian (5%), with the remainder made up of several other ethnicities, The Star reported.

Nancy also noted that a total of 16,951 unmarried teenagers aged 19 and below were pregnant during the same period under review, underscoring the seriousness of the issue.

A long-standing problem

Despite these alarming figures, the continuous increase in the number of teenage pregnancies is already a long-standing issue in the country.

Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Dr. Noraini Ahmad reported in August that teen pregnancy continues to show a slight increase annually over the past two years.

Data from the Health Ministry showed that 2,737 teenage pregnancy cases were recorded in 2023 and 2,752 cases in 2024, marking an increase of 15 cases (0.5%).

It also recorded a total of 655 teenage pregnancy cases involving under the age of 18 from January to March 2025 alone, underlining the persistence of the issue.

Noraini noted that Sarawak recorded the highest number of teenage pregnancy cases nationwide, followed by Sabah and Pahang, though the figures were not specified.

Lack of awareness, poverty, peer pressure fuel the rise

She attributed the continuous surge in the number of teenage pregnancies to the lack of comprehensive reproductive health education, which could have led to many teens not understanding how to safeguard themselves from unplanned pregnancies.

Noraini noted that this is supported by a study titled “A Review of Teenage Pregnancy Research in Malaysia, which stated that one of the primary causes of rising teenage pregnancies were limited access to reproductive health education.

Other factors that contributed to this problem include poverty, peer pressure and media influence, especially exposure to openly sexual content.

“This can shape norms and perceptions that encourage teenagers to experiment. Additionally, family background and lifestyle can contribute to an increase in risky sexual behaviour,” she said.

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Government vows to strengthen initiatives

In response, Nancy said her ministry and relevant agencies will strengthen ongoing initiatives such as reproductive health education, counselling and community-based support.

She also said that her ministry will soon introduce the National Family Policy and National Family Action Plan to enhance family institutions and improve social stability as well as empower families.

But Nancy stressed that the government can’t solve the issue alone, urging relevant parties and parents for their co-operation for a unified and holistic solution to teenage pregnancy.

“Efforts to curb this issue must be mobilised by all parties for the sake of a healthier future generation,” she said.

Despite the government’s pledges, several experts urged the authorities to further strengthen sexual education by teaching students the long-term impact and consequences of unplanned pregnancies.

Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim called on authorities to include lessons on the social and financial impacts of teen pregnancy in school curricula, helping minors understand the long-term consequences.

Azimah told the New Straits Times that educating minors about the challenges of being a teen parent would serve as a “wake-up call” and complement sex education by highlighting how teen pregnancy can affect their future.

“Even if the full ‘sex education’ on biological, contraceptive and sexual behaviour is sensitive or resisted, you can still teach about life skills, namely the financial and social costs of teen pregnancy, decision-making, future planning and the trade-offs,” she said.

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