ABORTION DEBATE

A heated discussion on reproductive rights has followed the Chinese

State Council’s publication of the “Guidelines for Women and Children’s Development (2021 – 2030)” in September, which recommended reducing abortions for “non-medical reasons” to improve women’s productive health.

The timing of these guidelines, issued several months after China relaxed its family planning policy to allow three births per family, has drawn concerns online that the government will restrict women’s reproductive choices in order to boost the birth rate. China has outlawed sex-selective abortion since 2001, and provinces such as Hainan and Jiangxi have enacted regulations in 2003 and 2018 respectively, requiring government approval for terminating pregnancies after 14 weeks.

A 2020 report published by the China Family Planning Association, a non-governmental organization, alleged that artificially induced abortions harm women’s health and are a major reason behind China’s rising infertility rate. The State Council claims its new guidelines aim to safeguard women’s choices over birth control and improve their health care services.