AOSPAG Congress Brings Experts Together To Tackle Adolescent Reproductive Health Issues

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 (Bernama) -- The second edition of the Asia Oceania Society of Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology (AOSPAG) Congress, which brings together regional experts, is set to strengthen regional efforts in addressing sexual and reproductive health issues among girls and adolescents, including underage pregnancy.

AOSPAG president, Prof Dr Ani Amelia Zainuddin, said the society has been serving as a platform for sharing expertise among specialists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia through conferences and monthly webinars.

“Key issues discussed include menstruation, puberty, growth development, and teenage pregnancy. At this congress, international experts are also invited to discuss complex cases and share the latest research findings,” she said at the 2nd AOSPAG Congress here today.

Dr Ani Amelia said that through this international collaboration, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Zhejiang University Children’s Hospital of Medicine in China this November.

“That hospital has expertise in molecular diagnostics, genetics, and research. The MoU will open opportunities for joint research and capacity building,” she explained.

The three-day conference, which began yesterday, was officiated by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development deputy secretary-general (Strategic) Mohd Daud Mohd Arif, on behalf of Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

AOSPAG was founded on June 17, 2017, in Hong Kong, with 17 representatives from nine Asian regions. Since then, it has grown into an active regional body focusing on adolescent reproductive health issues.

In his speech, Dr Ani Amelia also highlighted two major reproductive health challenges currently faced by Malaysia, namely the high rate of underage pregnancies and a decline in fertility rates.

“To address teenage pregnancy, we need to improve reproductive health education not only for adolescents but also for parents and teachers. At the same time, encouraging women to marry and have children earlier is important, as delayed marriage contributes to fertility issues,” she said.

She also pointed out that the country’s high obesity rates negatively affect reproductive health, causing irregular menstrual cycles and difficulties conceiving.

Health Ministry statistics show that 6,144 cases of teenage pregnancy were recorded from 2023 through March 2025, with 2,737 cases in 2023, a total of 2,752 cases in 2024, and 655 cases in the first quarter of 2025.

-- BERNAMA