PETALING JAYA: Sex education is important to help women prevent and manage unwanted pregnancies, say experts.

       Riza Alwi, Advocacy and Communications Manager for OrphanCare Foundation said sex education on preventive measures is very important.

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       Apart from that, the community should also be helpful instead of laying the blame on women when it comes to unplanned pregnancies as they involve both genders.

       “They do need to know about sex education because by knowing, they can be safe,” she said.

       Riza said OrphanCare received numerous calls and inquiries last year from pregnant mothers seeking help with unwanted pregnancies, adding that the foundation advised these women on the next course of action.

       “In 2020, we received 45 babies, including ones through baby hatches,” she said.

       She said some women with unwanted pregnancies were victims of circumstances.

       “Sometimes, they are victims of rape, harassment and all these things. Some made mistakes,” she said.

       Riza said contrary to the notion of casual sex and promiscuity, some of these women were actually academically gifted but were naive and came from protective backgrounds.

       “The cases at OrphanCare involve mostly university students. They are academically smart but maybe, they are not sexually or socially aware,” she said.

       She said some women had also tried to self-medicate to terminate their pregnancies.

       “They said they tried pills but in most cases, these girls came to know that they were pregnant when they were already too late into pregnancy ... six months and above,” she added.

       She said pregnancy out of wedlock is not a crime and women should not be treated as criminals.

       “We don’t want this to happen but when it does, society needs to help them,” she said.

       Riza said while more baby hatches are needed around the country, it should be the last resort.

       “If mothers do not want their identities known, they can safely leave their babies at the hatches. Baby hatches should be the last option. For OrphanCare, we receive pregnant girls and help them with the deliveries. We also help mothers who have delivered but they cannot take care of the child,” she said.

       “We prefer this because at least, the baby will have a birth certificate and citizenship.”

       Riza said OrphanCare would provide the mothers with post-delivery counselling and the process of adoption if that is what they have decided.

       She added that OrphanCare has a list of potential adoptive parents and the foundation would assist with the adoption process.

       OrphanCare has saved 461 babies since its inception – with 79 of them from baby hatches.

       Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said taking the pills might seem like a quicker option but the consequences could be detrimental in the long run.

       “Some girls may not want to be seen pregnant, so they want a quick solution but I don’t think they should rush into making any decision without knowing the risks.

       “Always try to take a step back and view the whole situation. Seek advice from the right people or people with wisdom for a better outcome.

       “The decision one makes now could have a long-term effect,” she said in response to some young women taking abortion pills without proper medical consultation.

       Noor Azimah said education is still the best approach to avoid any untoward situation that could have serious repercussions or regrets in the person’s life.

       According to reports, an average of 10 cases of baby dumping were reported in a month nationwide over the past four years.

       Bukit Aman Sexual, Women and Child Investigations Division assistant director Asst Comm Siti Kamsiah Hassan said that in 2018, a total of 128 cases of baby dumping were recorded, followed by 125 cases (2019), 104 cases (2020) and 86 cases in 2021, bringing the total to 443.

       She said despite the downward trend due to the implementation of the movement control order, the average of 10 baby dumping cases a month is still considered high.

       Police statistics over the same period saw the highest number of baby dumping cases in housing areas, followed by cases at garbage dumps, factories and mosques.