Lawsuit tests policies on unmarried women

BEIJING » After almost two years, an unmarried woman suing for the right to freeze her eggs is getting her case heard in court, a rare legal challenge against restrictions on unmarried women in reproductive health.

Teresa Xu has been waiting since December 2019 for her second hearing at the Chaoyang People’s Court in Beijing. She is suing Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital at Capital Medical University, a public hospital that forbid her from freezing her eggs, citing national law.

Xu’s victory could mark an important step for unmarried women in China who want to access public benefits.

Her case is getting heard after the latest census data showed that population growth was slowing, while the proportion of elderly people was growing. The number of newborns had fallen every year since 2016. National level statistics showed that 12 million babies were born in 2020, down 18% from 14.6 million in 2019.