KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — Recently, Safwan Roshdy, 22, the father of a stillborn baby with cyclopia revealed that his wife had never gone for any antenatal checkups after she discovered she was pregnant.

According to him, the mother has never had a "Pink Book” and merely monitored the baby’s developments through an app on their mobile phones.

The issue has since sparked public discussions about the importance of the Health Ministry’s "Pink Book” for pregnant mothers.

But what is it?

As the name suggests, the book has a pink cover and is used to document health assessments conducted to gather essential information for evaluating the health and risk factors of both the mother and child during pregnancy.

Obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Maiza Tusimin stressed that routine antenatal checkups were more than just scans to see the baby, but are mandatory to sustain a healthy pregnancy.

In her experience as a doctor for over 20 years, she said that a condition like cyclopia was unlikely to be missed during screenings.

Dr Maiza said that the pink book would document the complete physical examination of the mother from head to toe.

"Blood pressure, a urine test, especially for the content of albumin and glucose, diabetes, your heart rate, your height, your weight and some blood investigation, which include infection screenings like HIV, hepatitis, your blood group and also the full blood count where we see the haemoglobin.

"Some patients have a background of diabetes, hypertension — these are considered to be high risk,” she explained.

With the Pink Book, doctors will be able to take appropriate action by providing the necessary vitamins, supplements, and medications to support a healthy pregnancy for the mother and the child.

It will also help healthcare professionals prepare for a smooth delivery.

Dr Maiza said that due to the government’s comprehensive Pink Book and other efforts, the maternal morbidity rate has significantly reduced compared to pre-Independence times.

Paediatrician Dr Masri Muhamed said that results for infection screenings such as HIV, hepatitis B, or syphilis recorded in the Pink Book will allow paediatricians to implement timely preventive measures, such as administering necessary vaccinations or treatments immediately after birth to protect the baby’s health.

He added that the book would also aid doctors in identifying potential risks, and genetic conditions to provide individualised care plans tailored to the child’s needs, ensuring the best possible outcomes for the child’s growth and development from birth onwards.

"Common maternal conditions during pregnancy that shouldn’t be taken lightly, including gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), anaemia, hypertension, preeclampsia, and infections significantly raise the risk of stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, respiratory problems and developmental delays.

"In addition, early identification of congenital or genetic conditions through a comprehensive family history, along with prenatal ultrasound and genetic testing can reveal abnormalities that may require immediate or long-term medical intervention,” Dr Masri said.

The records in the Pink Book would also help paediatricians from performing repeated tests or asking unnecessary questions about the child’s health, he added.

Pediatrician Prof Dr Zabidi Azhar Mohd Hussin of the University of Cyberjaya and Dr Maiza added that pregnant women, regardless of marital status can go for checkups and get the Pink Book.

Where can you get it?

Dr Maiza revealed that pregnant mothers will receive the book at their first antenatal checkup.

Government clinics and hospitals will use the Pink Book.

Private clinics may use a different book despite having very similar content.

She added that pregnant mothers can also attend checkups with general practitioners in regular private clinics, as they are also equipped with the Pink Book.

When should you go for your first checkup?

Professor Dr Zabidi and Dr Masri suggested that mothers should see a doctor after testing positive with a pregnancy test kit.

Dr Maiza said the best time to register is when a mother is about 10 to 13 weeks pregnant.

She also advised against going late if it’s the first pregnancy.

"If you’re high-risk, you can go as early as seven to eight weeks (into pregnancy). Let’s say it’s your first pregnancy, no risk, don’t go too late. Don’t go at 13-14 weeks where they can’t really do the booking or dating scan,” she said.

How will you know how long you have been pregnant?

After missing menstruation for two weeks, a woman would be roughly six to seven weeks pregnant, she explained.