China, "unnecessary abortion restrictions" over concerns over population decline

On the 16th, China issued guidelines for pregnancy and childbirth, which restrict abortion and support infertility treatment. Although the fertility rate is decreasing, China, which has the world's highest abortion rate, has strengthened its countermeasures against concerns over population decline.

China's National Health Commission announced on its website, "We will actively create a social atmosphere favorable to marriage and childbirth and accelerate the establishment of a childbirth support system." The health authorities said, "We will maintain the fertility rate at an appropriate level to promote the long-term balanced development of the population," adding, "We will reduce medically unnecessary abortions." It also said it will support egg freezing and in vitro fertilization for infertility and infertility treatment. It did not disclose specific measures for abortion restrictions.

In China, the total fertility rate (the average number of babies a woman is expected to have during childbearing) fell to 1.16 as of last year in the wake of the "one-child policy" introduced in 1980. On the other hand, the abortion rate is still high, and some predict that the number of newborns will fall to an all-time low this year.

Date: 2022-08-18

Reporter: 정새울