Beginning in 1979, the Chinese government prevented most couples from having more than one child so as to curb growth in the world\u2019s most populous country.<\/p>\n
By the time the 21st century rolled around, it became clear that China\u2019s One-Child Policy was causing more problems than it was intended to solve.<\/p>\n
According to a 2018 report from the New York Times<\/em><\/a>, authorities in the capital city of Beijing were alarmed that a smaller labor force, plunging birthrates, and an aging populace would cause the ruling Communist regime to lose credibility and, in turn, power. Plus, how does a country with a longstanding one-child policy jump-start its birth rate when there are, because of that policy, fewer workers to sustain families?<\/p>\n So, in 2015, the government eased its decades-old dictum and allowed couples to have two children.<\/p>\n Most would expect the country\u2019s birth rate to begin ramping up as a result \u2013 but that\u2019s not quite what happened. In fact, recent figures cited by the Times<\/em> indicate that the birthrate for 2017, compared with that for 2016, fell by 3.5 percent. Which means that a nation long believed to be plagued by overpopulation now has a birth rate that can\u2019t keep its population numbers steady.<\/p>\n Despite this, for many reasons, couples aren\u2019t exactly in a rush to have children.<\/p>\n For starters, the government hasn\u2019t been very helpful in encouraging greater rates of conception. State-run media, says the Times<\/em>, regularly run headlines such as, \u201cMake sure you don\u2019t miss out on women\u2019s best years for getting pregnant!\u201d<\/a>, which the government maintains is between the ages of 24 and 29 \u2013 a time of life when, like their counterparts around the world, Chinese women are looking to launch and develop careers.<\/p>\n The government\u2019s response was to run more stories and ads with women wearing graduation outfits while holding babies under headlines<\/a> such as \u201c\u2018Already had a baby\u2019 becomes a sought-after quality in the job-hunting season \u2014 more female university students prepare for pregnancy\u201d.<\/p>\n Still, women who do<\/em> want to start families are also encountering problems. But in China, the struggle isn\u2019t just a personal one, as is often the case for women in other countries. Instead, because of the government\u2019s role in regulating families, it\u2019s become a national issue impacted, for some, by sensitivity to the topic.<\/p>\n This has led to a \u201cstigma surrounding infertility in Chinese society\u201d, says a CNN<\/em><\/a> report. Phoebe Pan, who administers a support group for women dealing with infertility issues, told the cable network, “I know so many Chinese women who are overwhelmed by so-called infertility and sterility problems.”<\/p>\n And even though fertility treatments for women are now available in China, that doesn\u2019t necessarily ease the problems of trying to conceive. IVF treatments run an average of $4,700 there, says CNN<\/em>, although that cost isn\u2019t covered by state medical insurance.<\/p>\n Furthermore, even when women do decide to invest in IVF treatments, the experience often proves far from pleasant. One Chinese woman quoted by CNN<\/em> said that she and her husband had to sacrifice valuable time every week trekking to clinics, where they spent four hours per visit. She added, \u201cThe real consultation time lasts only five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s fair to say that the above issues affect both men and women who are trying to conceive<\/a>. On top of that, however, men face their own fertility challenges in China.<\/p>\n A few years before the One-Child Policy was amended, Reuters<\/em><\/a> reported that sperm<\/a> counts in Chinese men had been dropping since the 1970s. Quoting a report from China\u2019s Xinhua news agency, Reuters<\/em> noted that the country\u2019s recent streak of economic growth had resulted in unhealthy lifestyles, which in turn \u201cthreatens the quality and structure of our future population,\u201d said Huang Hefeng of Zhejiang University.<\/p>\n