Malaysia Birth Rate 2026: Latest Figures, Trends and Factors

Malaysia's birth rate is falling. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the country recorded 414,918 live births in 2024, down 9.0% from 2023, and the total fertility rate dropped to 1.6 children per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1.

Below you'll find the latest official figures, how the numbers have changed over the past decade, and the main factors that shape birth rates in Malaysia.

Latest Figures

These are the most recent full-year numbers from DOSM's Vital Statistics, Malaysia, 2025 report (released October 2025), which covers births in 2024:

A few other points from the same report:

• Malaysia's total fertility rate has stayed below the replacement level of 2.1 since 2013.
• By ethnic group, Malays had the highest fertility rate (1.9) and Chinese the lowest (0.9) in 2024.
• Terengganu had the highest crude birth rate (19.3) and Pulau Pinang the lowest (10.1).

The decline has carried on into 2025. DOSM's Demographic Statistics for the fourth quarter of 2025 shows 99,353 live births in that quarter, 5.4% fewer than the 105,027 births in the fourth quarter of 2024. Full-year figures for 2025 are due in DOSM's next Vital Statistics release.

Key Takeaways

• Live births fell 9.0% in 2024 to 414,918, and quarterly data shows the drop continuing in 2025.
• Factors that influence birth rates include education, urbanisation, the cost of living, health care access and cultural norms.
• Low birth rates lead to an ageing population, which can mean fewer workers, lower demand for some goods and services, and more pressure on health care.

Population Growth Over the Past Decade

Malaysia's population has kept growing over the past decade, but more slowly each year. The table below shows estimates from 2013 to 2023. In 2023 the population was just over 34 million, growing at about 1.09% a year.

Source from macrotrends

Understanding Birth Rates and Fertility Rates

Birth rates and fertility rates both measure how many babies are being born. Governments use them to plan for health care, schools and social welfare.

Definition of birth rate and fertility rate

The crude birth rate is the number of live births per 1,000 people in a year. It shows whether a population is growing or shrinking through births.

The total fertility rate (TFR) is the average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime if she followed that year's age-specific fertility rates. For example, Malaysia's TFR was 1.6 children per woman aged 15-49 in 2022, and again in 2024.

Factors that influence birth rates

Several factors affect birth rates in Malaysia:

1. Ambient temperature: Some research links hotter average temperatures and changing weather patterns to lower fertility.
2. Lifestyle: Diet, exercise and general health all affect reproductive health.
3. Environment: Air and water quality, pollution and living conditions can interfere with hormones and reproduction.
4. Migration: People who move, within Malaysia or abroad, often adopt the family-size norms of their new community.
5. Education: Higher education is generally linked to lower fertility. Women who study longer and build careers often have children later.
6. Urbanisation: City living tends to bring later marriage, smaller homes and higher costs, which usually means fewer children.
7. Jobs and the economy: Financial security makes it easier to start a family. Unemployment and high living costs make couples delay.
8. Health care access: Good prenatal and postnatal care lowers maternal and infant deaths and supports healthier pregnancies.
9. Social norms and culture: Attitudes to marriage, childbearing and family size differ between communities. Some value large families, others prefer smaller ones.

Birth rate trends in other regions

Birth rates are falling in many parts of the world. Here is a quick comparison:

How Malaysia Compares

Malaysia's birth rate has been falling for decades, in line with a global trend towards smaller families.

Comparison with other countries

Here is how Malaysia's total fertility rate compares with other Southeast Asian countries for the period 2015-2023.

Malaysia's TFR is lower than Indonesia's and the Philippines', slightly higher than Singapore's and Thailand's, and about the same as Vietnam's. The differences come from culture, economic conditions and government policy in each country.

Changes over the years

This chart shows Malaysia's fertility rate and number of births from the 1960s to 2022:

• The blue line is the total fertility rate. It has fallen steadily over the decades and dropped below the replacement level of 2.1.
• The red line is the number of births each year. It also trends down, with a 3.8% drop between 2021 and 2022.

In short, Malaysian women are having fewer children than before, and the population is getting older.

Source from data.worldbank

What High or Low Birth Rates Mean

High birth rates mean fast population growth and pressure on resources and infrastructure. Low birth rates lead to an ageing population and economic challenges. Here is what that means for Malaysia:

• Population growth: As birth rates fall, Malaysia has been going through a "demographic dividend", a period when the working-age population grows faster than the number of children and elderly. This window does not last forever.
• The economy: Fewer young people can mean labour shortages in some sectors, and lower demand for housing, consumer goods and services for families with children.
• Society: An older population needs more health care and support. Family structures change too, as households get smaller.

The Role of Family Planning and Contraception

The government runs programmes and campaigns to promote family planning and give people access to contraception.

Government initiatives

1. The national family planning programme: Malaysia has promoted family planning for decades, and the adolescent fertility rate has halved since these programmes began.
2. Contraceptive services and information: The government provides access to contraceptives and information about different methods, so people can make informed choices.
3. Statistics on family planning services: The National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) publishes statistics on its family planning services, which helps track how well these programmes work.
4. Awareness campaigns: Campaigns encourage responsible, planned parenthood and explain the benefits of family planning.

Educational campaigns

Campaigns in Malaysia also tackle teenage pregnancy and share sexual and reproductive health information, including contraception options for young women. Research has found that media exposure strongly influences the use of family planning among married couples in Malaysia.

Family Planning Challenges

Religious beliefs, uneven access to contraception and stigma all affect how families plan.

Religious beliefs

Religion shapes many people's views on family size. Studies show that religiosity can influence decisions about family planning, and fertility rates in Malaysia still differ noticeably between communities.

Access to contraception

Not every woman in Malaysia has good information about sexual and reproductive health or contraceptive methods. Cost, availability and social pressure can stop some women who want to avoid or delay pregnancy from using modern contraception. Better access helps families choose when to have children.

Stigma around family planning

In some communities, contraception is still seen as taboo, and people who use it may face judgement. This makes it harder to educate people about planned parenthood. Limited funding and patchy policy implementation add to the problem.

Ways to Support Families

Helping women stay in education and work, easing economic pressure and supporting planned parenthood can all help families have the number of children they want.

Supporting women's education and employment

• Give girls and boys equal access to education, including university.
• Support working mothers with affordable childcare and flexible work arrangements.
• Offer scholarships and financial help for women in higher education.
• Provide vocational training so women can build skills for different industries.
• Encourage employers to support women's careers through mentoring and leadership programmes.

Easing economic and social pressure

Money and lifestyle are big reasons couples delay having children. Things that can help:

1. Stable jobs and fair wages: Less financial worry makes raising a child more manageable.
2. Affordable housing: A suitable home at a reasonable price is a big step towards starting a family.
3. Work-life balance: Flexible hours and longer maternity and paternity leave make it easier to combine work and family.
4. Social support: Subsidised childcare, parental leave and accessible health care all help parents.
5. Education: Better skills lead to better jobs, which gives couples more confidence to have children.
6. Gender equality: Fairer sharing of wages, jobs and housework lets women make real choices about family size.
7. Community support: Parenting groups and local networks make raising children less lonely and less stressful.

Supporting responsible, planned parenthood

• Help couples decide when to have children based on their own circumstances.
• Provide good sex education that covers contraception and family planning.
• Make contraception affordable and easy to get.
• Offer support for couples who want to delay or space out pregnancies.
• Encourage open conversations about family planning within communities.
• Work with health care providers, NGOs and community groups to raise awareness.
• Prioritise maternal health care, including prenatal care, skilled birth attendance and postpartum support.

Future Projections for Birth Rates in Malaysia

Experts expect Malaysia's birth rate to keep falling in the coming years. Here is what that could mean.

What to expect in the coming years

With the total fertility rate already at 1.6 and births still falling in 2025, the trend points further down. This will speed up Malaysia's shift to an ageing society, with knock-on effects for health care, social welfare and productivity.

The government may need policies that encourage families to have children, or that soften the impact of a shrinking young population. Cultural norms, education, health care and the cost of living will all play a part.

Future Total Fertility Rate of Malaysia (2023-2100)

Source from database.earth

Policies that could help

Possible measures to support families and slow the decline include:

• Financial incentives and tax benefits for couples with children.
• Better maternity and paternity leave for working parents.
• More funding for family support and family planning programmes.
• Stronger health care services and more affordable fertility treatment.
• Comprehensive sex education in schools.

Malaysia's Birth Rate, 2013-2023

The table below shows birth rate estimates from macrotrends, which are based on UN population models. They differ from DOSM's official figures (for example, DOSM puts the 2023 crude birth rate at 13.6 per 1,000), but they show the same downward trend.

Source from macrotrends

Summary

Malaysia's birth rate has been falling for decades. Births rose briefly in 2023, then dropped 9.0% in 2024 to the lowest level in over four decades, and quarterly figures show the decline continuing in 2025. Education, urbanisation, the cost of living, health care and cultural norms all play a part.

Low birth rates affect population growth, the economy and family life. Supporting women's education and careers, easing the cost of raising children and promoting planned parenthood can all help families have the number of children they want.

FAQs

1. What is the latest birth rate in Malaysia?

According to DOSM, Malaysia's crude birth rate was 12.2 births per 1,000 population in 2024, down from 13.6 in 2023. There were 414,918 live births in 2024.

2. Which group has the highest birth rate in Malaysia?

In 2024, Malays had the highest total fertility rate at 1.9 children per woman, and Chinese the lowest at 0.9. By state, Terengganu had the highest crude birth rate (19.3) and Pulau Pinang the lowest (10.1).

3. How does the fertility rate relate to the birth rate?

The fertility rate is the average number of children a woman is expected to have over her lifetime. The birth rate counts births per 1,000 people in a year. A falling fertility rate usually means a falling birth rate over time.

4. Do infant and maternal death rates affect birth rates?

Yes. Where infant and maternal deaths are high, families often have more children. As health care improves and these rates fall, families tend to have fewer children.