Asia Insight (2012)
S06E13 China's Second-Child Boom
Episode Overview
In January 2016, China officially lifted its 37-year-old one-child policy, allowing couples the freedom to welcome a second child. This change sparked a significant increase in births, with 2016 seeing 18.5 million newborns—2 million more than the average over the previous five years. Many of these mothers are over 35, a demographic that faces heightened risks during pregnancy and childbirth. In fact, just six months after the policy’s repeal, maternal mortality rates surged by 30% compared to the same period in 2015. The government is swiftly addressing these alarming figures. We meet the resilient mothers and their families as they navigate this new reality at a postpartum care center in Shanghai.
