China’s hospitals add beds to prepare for maternity surge following second-child policy

BEIJING - Following the adoption of the universal second-child policy in China, major hospitals in Beijing are setting aside twice as many beds as usual for women with high-risk pregnancies. The Beijing Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning says it will “increase the number of obstetrics beds and available staff in public hospitals – and purchase services at private hospitals if necessary – to meet the expected demand”.

The China Daily reports that high-risk pregnancies are expected to grow to 80% of admissions at Beijing’s top facilities, with the number of births in Beijing expected to exceed 300,000 this year (a rise of 20% from the level of previous years).

However, the Commission said a large portion of those eligible to have a second child are over 40 and likely to face increased risks during their pregnancies, including hypertension, which will pose a greater challenge for hospitals. In response, local health authorities have stipulated that pregnant women in high-risk groups, such as older women and those with health issues, must give birth at Grade A hospitals.

About 90 million women in China are newly eligible to have a second baby following implementation of China’s universal second-child policy on January 1. More than half of them are between 40 and 49, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC). www.webershandwick.cn (ATI).