IT is viewed as the most natural thing in the world - a mother breastfeeding her baby. But a new trend in Malaysia has the authorities worried. More single professional women are choosing to adopt babies.
They then turn to modern medicine to allow them to breastfeed, with the hope of creating a bond with the young one.
Malaysia's parliamentary secretary in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Dr Mashita Ibrahim,told Utusan Malaysia that this trend threatens the institution of marriage.
She said: 'This negative trend is spreading in the larger cities including Kuala Lumpur.
'It should be nipped to avoid the destruction of the institution of the family which is the basis of human society.'
She said that it could kill any desire such professional women might have of getting married, and so goes against the concept of family.
In fact, she said, many career- minded women already view marriage as an inconvenience.
Medical experts told Utusan Malaysia that the pills that encourage a woman's body to produce milk, also known as induced lactation, have been available in the country for many years.
The doctors said the medication was traditionally used by married couples who were unable to have children, and chose to adopt.
The adoptive mothers would then take the medicine so that they could breastfeed and so bond with the babies.
According to medical information on the Internet, induced lactation involves taking hormones that are usually produced by the body during pregnancy.
The problem now is that single women are now doing it.
She said the authorities are taking a serious view of women, including celebrities, who have done this.
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