Malaysia - Most maternal deaths in Malaysia involve foreigners, illegal immigrants

Foreigners and illegal immigrants make up a significant number of maternal deaths in Malaysia.

Outgoing president of the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Malaysia (OGSM) Dr Krishna Kumar Hari Krishnan said yesterday that the society counted this group into the statistics because they would come for treatment only when their condition became critical.

“Our biggest headache is the foreigners who come in through Sabah and the illegal immigrants in the peninsula. You cannot trace them to give them the healthcare they needbecause they move around to escape the authorities," said Dr Krishnan. 

He continued: "It is sad when you know that they need help but you have no way of getting hold of them for a review or even when you want to refer them...Only when they are on their deathbed would they come to us but by then it is already too late."

These foreigners and illegal immigrants contribute a significant number to maternal deaths in Malaysia, he said at the 10th Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists International Scientific Congress in Kuching.

As for Malaysian women, Dr Krishna said post-partum haemorrhage was no longer a problem given the health programmes put in place to address it.

However, he said, current times would see mothers dying of other causes and medical disorders like complications caused by diabetes or hypertension.

“Malaysians tend to think that all these problems could happen to others but not to them. So they do not see the seriousness of the effects of the illnesses on them when they get pregnant. Like when we ask them to control their sugar intake, they do not see the seriousness of it.

“A lot of women have heart problems too so when they get pregnant, their cardiac output increases and it affects their heart,” he explained.

As such, Dr Krishnan said the Government started the pre-pregnancy clinics nationwide to identify women who were bound to have high risk pregnancies.

Here, he said, these women would be told of the risks when getting pregnant and also had their conditions stabilised first to lower the risk of complication.

On caesarean delivery, Dr Krishnan said there was a rising trend towards elective caesarean nowadays although t had been advised that the risk was higher compared to normal delivery.

“Although complications were higher, we are moving towards giving women a choice on what they want. We entertain their requests but medically indicated cases are still given top priority,” he said.

Nonetheless, he was quick to add that the consent forms for those opting for a caesarean delivery now carried explanations in detail to avoid lawsuit.

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