The Impact Of China's One-Child Policy: Abortion Numbers Revealed

China's one-child policy, implemented between 1979 and 2015, was enforced through fines, economic incentives, and propaganda. Women were forced to use contraception, receive abortions, and undergo sterilization. In some cases, women were forced to undergo late-term abortions, and babies born alive were killed. While the number of abortions that occurred as a direct result of the one-child policy is unclear, it is estimated that there are more than 10 million induced abortions per year in China.

Abortion was used to enforce the one-child policy

Abortion was used as a tool to enforce China's one-child policy, which was in place from 1979 to 2015. The policy was a population planning initiative to curb the country's population growth by restricting many families to a single child.

Abortion was one of the methods used to enforce the policy, alongside the use of contraception and sterilisation. In some cases, women were forced to have abortions, with officials showing up at their homes to ask about their plans for children. In other cases, women were incentivised to have abortions, with the government offering financial rewards to those who promised to have only one child.

The one-child policy was implemented and enforced by the National Population and Family Planning Commission at the national level, and by specialised commissions at the provincial and local levels. The policy was also promoted through pervasive propaganda campaigns.

The use of abortion as a tool to enforce the one-child policy had far-reaching consequences for Chinese society, particularly for women. It led to a skewed sex ratio, with more men than women, and the abandonment of unwanted infant girls, some of whom died and others who were adopted abroad. It also resulted in greater workforce participation by women, as they were no longer occupied with child-rearing, and some girls received greater investment in their education.

The Chinese government has estimated that the one-child policy prevented 400 million births, although this figure has been disputed by some scholars. The policy has been widely criticised in the West for perceived human rights violations and other negative effects.

Forced abortions were common

Midwives and doctors played a key role in carrying out forced abortions. In the documentary "One Child Nation," filmmaker Nanfu Wang interviews an 84-year-old midwife from her hometown who recalled performing 50,000 to 60,000 abortions during her career. The midwife counted the number of abortions because she felt guilty about her role in enforcing the policy. Wang's co-director, Jialing Zhang, noted that the midwife felt she was performing her duty at the time, but now feels guilt about what happened.

Forced abortions could happen late in pregnancy as women tried to hide their pregnancies from officials. In some cases, babies were born alive, and the midwife had to kill them. The midwife told Wang that her "hands would tremble" when she had to kill a baby.

The one-child policy was particularly enforced in rural areas, where there was resistance to sterilisation due to a desire for sons to work on and inherit farmland. Women who refused sterilisation were sometimes forced, and officials would demolish homes and arrest family members until the women came forward.

The Chinese government credits the one-child policy with contributing to the country's economic ascendancy and preventing 400 million births, but the efficacy of the policy in reducing birth rates and its defensibility from a human rights perspective have been controversial. The policy has been widely criticised in the West for perceived human rights violations and other negative effects.

Abortion was accessible and legal

Abortion in China has been legal at all stages of pregnancy and generally accessible nationwide since the 1950s. In the 1950s, China was one of the first developing countries to permit abortion when the pregnant woman's health was at risk, and it made the procedure easily accessible under these circumstances.

Following the Chinese Communist Revolution and the proclamation of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the country has periodically switched between more restrictive abortion policies and more liberal abortion policies. In the 1950s, the Chinese government permitted abortion when:

• The mother had a pre-existing condition, such as tuberculosis or pernicious anemia, that would cause the pregnancy to be a threat to the mother's life.
• When traditional Chinese medicine could not settle an overactive fetus and spontaneous abortion was expected.
• When the mother had already undergone two or more Caesarean sections.

Punishments were written into the law for those who received or performed illegal abortions.

In the 1950s, high-level female Communist Party cadres played a significant role in advocating for greater access to abortion and sterilisation surgeries. In their view, women could not "hold up half the sky" nor advance their revolutionary work if they had too many children.

In the 1970s, abortion was officially termed a "remedial measure" for realising China's goals of controlling the population. In 1971, abortions and sterilisation procedures were provided free of charge, and patients were entitled to paid leave.

In 2022, the National Health Commission announced measures to reduce non-medically necessary abortions, including expanded pre-pregnancy healthcare, infant care services, and local government efforts to boost family-friendly workplaces.

Abortion regulations may vary depending on the rules of the province. In an effort to curb sex-selective abortions, which are illegal nationwide but still commonplace, Jiangxi and Guizhou restrict non-medically necessary abortions after 14 weeks of pregnancy, while throughout most of China, elective abortions are legal after 14 weeks.

Abortion was used for sex-selection

Abortion was used as a tool for sex-selection in China, where male children were valued over female children. This was particularly common in rural areas, where sons were needed to contribute to agricultural production and were expected to take care of their parents in old age.

The preference for male children in China is rooted in cultural and economic factors. Sons were seen as an "asset" since they could earn and support the family, while daughters were seen as a "liability" as they would marry into another family and not contribute financially. Sons were also expected to take care of their parents in their old age, and in some cultures, daughters were expected to live with their husband's family after marriage.

The one-child policy, implemented in China from 1979 to 2015, further exacerbated the issue of sex-selection abortions. The policy restricted many families to a single child, leading to abortions of female fetuses to ensure the birth of a son. In some cases, women were forced to use contraception, receive abortions, or undergo sterilization to comply with the policy.

To address the issue, the Chinese government made sex-selective abortions illegal in 2005. However, the practice continues to be relatively commonplace, especially in rural areas, and has contributed to a notable imbalance in the sex ratio in China.

Abortion rates have been declining

Furthermore, traditional Chinese values and cultural norms play a role in abortion rates. In China, life is believed to begin at birth, and public debates over abortion policy are often focused on modernization and economic development rather than "pro-life" or "pro-choice" views. This may influence individuals' decisions about abortion, especially in rural areas where traditional values are more prevalent.

The availability of contraception and family planning services has also impacted abortion rates. In recent years, there has been a push to promote alternate methods of contraception and birth control, and this may have led to a decrease in abortions. Additionally, social and economic factors, such as the cost of raising a child and the desire for greater educational and career opportunities, may influence individuals' decisions about abortion.

Moreover, the one-child policy had far-reaching social, cultural, economic, and demographic effects, particularly for Chinese women. The policy resulted in greater workforce participation by women, as they were no longer occupied with childrearing, and some girls received greater investment in their education. However, the policy also led to the abandonment of unwanted infant girls, creating a generation of "missing women" and skewing the country's sex ratio toward men.

In conclusion, the decline in abortion rates in China is likely due to a combination of factors, including evolving family planning policies, increased access to healthcare and family planning services, cultural norms and values, and social and economic considerations.

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