There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues … are created, strengthened and maintained.

~ Winston Churchill

Last Sunday marked Mother’s Day, a day when we honour our mums for their superhero-like qualities. Simultaneously, it is a day when many long to be celebrated themselves.

Look around you — how many of your peers are parents today, and how many are still trying to have children? Well, it is a blessing for those who have started their families after marriage; however, this isn’t the reality for everyone. Take South Korea as an example. For years, South Korea has had one of the world’s lowest fertility rates, and last year, it dropped to an all-time low. In Malaysia, the fertility rate has decreased rapidly over the past 50 years, from 6.7 children per woman in 1957 to four in 1980, three in 2000, and 2.1 in 2010. Last year, the rate dropped to 1.6 children per woman aged 15-49.

This situation is indeed concerning. I recently had the opportunity to join a session with Professor Dr. Alan Trounson, a member of Alpha IVF Group’s International Scientific Board. He shared that various factors contribute to low fertility rates, including delayed marriage, later childbearing age, and lifestyle changes. Increased stress and sedentary lifestyles have also been linked to declining fertility rates.

Source: https://www.newsarawaktribune.com.my/enhancing-communication-in-family-planning/