PETALING JAYA: About 30% of deaths among children under five in Malaysia between 2018 and 2022 were related to congenital conditions. MOH does not capture data on live births with congenital conditions. “Congenital heart defects, while not 100% preventable, have risk factors that we can manage. “High blood sugar in the first trimester, when the baby’s organs are forming, significantly increases the risk of heart defects and neural tube defects. “Others include congenital rubella syndrome and congenital varicella syndrome, for example, which may lead to multiple anomalies in babies.

Source: The Star March 10, 2026 05:40 UTC