Vital for women to safeguard reproductive health, says medical consultant

KUCHING (Sept 5): It is important for women to schedule annual visits to the gynaecologist to safeguard their reproductive health through early detection and preventive health screening, said Dr Hoo Mei Lin.

The Sunway Medical Centre consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist said women face a variety of health issues and conditions that are unique to them.

“They are the most susceptible to sexual and reproductive problems. Examinations such as preventive health screening are vital to monitor any possible symptoms of underlying issues,” she said at a forum on women’s health in Petaling Jaya, Selangor recently.

Dr Hoo, who has over 20 years of experience specialising in reproductive medicine and fertility, was among five panellists speaking at the expert forum themed ‘For Her: Conversations of Care’.

Jointly organised by Monash University School of Pharmacy and Bayer Co (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, the forum was held in conjunction with Wellbeing Fiesta @ Monash Week, an annual initiative by the university to promote health and well-being to employees and students.

It served as a call to action for more women to share conversations of care about their own health issues – ranging from contraception to endometriosis and menstrual pain or heavy menstrual bleeding – and to not suffer in silence.

MyEndosis founder and president Surita Mogan, who is an endometriosis patient herself, said: “A lack of awareness of endometriosis and social taboos surrounding the disease are the common factors associated with the delay in seeking treatment.

“Despite its prevalence, many people believe that endometriosis is an uncommon condition. Many women live in silence and pain because they don’t know what is normal and what isn’t when it comes to menstrual health.”

She pointed out that endometriosis is not a disease that is talked about.

“By starting a conversation about endometriosis we can raise awareness, end the stigma and break down barriers around this disease,” she added.

Endometriosis is often referred to as the ‘missed disease’ even though it affects one in 10 women of reproductive age. Studies have shown it can take up to eleven years for a patient suffering from pelvic pain to be diagnosed with endometriosis.

Therefore, it is important for women with symptoms suspicious of endometriosis not to suffer in silence and seek medical attention as early as possible.

Also among the panellists was National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) head of Reproductive Health Unit, Human Reproduction Department Dr Wan Hilya Munira Mustapha, who spoke at the forum to drive awareness and knowledge on the importance of family planning and benefits of modern contraception use.

“The 5th Malaysian Population and Family Survey revealed that 89.3 per cent of women in reproductive age choose to make their own decisions about contraceptive use.

“This shows that Malaysian women can and are able to make the best decisions about their reproductive health,” she said.

According to this survey conducted by LPPKN, one in five married women do not use any family planning method despite not intending to become pregnant which contributed to 19.6 per cent of unmet need for contraception in the country.

A survey conducted by Alpro Pharmacy in 2023 reaffirmed the findings from the 5thMalaysian Population and Family Survey.

The survey by Alpro Pharmacy revealed unplanned pregnancy is one of the top five concerns amongst women in Malaysia. However, a quarter of the 1,300 women respondents do not use any contraception and nearly 50 per cent relies on natural family planning or the pull-out method.

With the aim to empower women to take charge of their reproductive health, Alpro Pharmacy and Bayer launched the Alpro Birth Control Teleconsult in 2023 to empower women in making educated decisions on family planning.

“With the changed roles of a modern woman, the Alpro Birth Control Teleconsult offers many benefits to women who need to juggle and manage their time for education, career as well as taking care of their family.

“It connects healthcare professionals and patients remotely and conveniently, providing women with personalised family planning advice on choosing the right contraceptive methods as well as fast, efficient and affordable delivery of oral contraceptives to their doorstep,” said Alpro Pharmacy Professional Care and Development manager and pharmacist Ng Yi Ling.

Meanwhile, Monash University professor and head of School of Pharmacy Shaun Lee said the university embraced diversity, actively further inclusivity, and dismantle barriers to equity.

“We are very pleased to partner with Bayer in our shared aspiration to raise awareness and empower women to be proactive in protecting and improving their own health.

“It is important for female colleagues in our university to take charge of their health with regular checks and screenings while also supporting one another on their health concerns at the workplace,” he said.

In addition to the forum, Monash University Malaysia and Bayer also co-hosted talks by experts on intimate health and navigating women’s health at different life stages.

Complimentary preventive screenings at the LPPKN mobile clinic stationed at Monash University Malaysia campus were offered to staff and students.

This joint initiative with LPPKN aimed to encourage regular health screening and proactively address potential health issues at an earlier stage.

The list of screening tests for women included breast examination, BMI, blood glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, HPV DNA test for cervical cancer screening and mammogram.