Woman sues for right to freeze her eggs in Beijing

BEIJING – After astir 2 years, an unmarried pistillate suing for the close to frost her eggs successful Beijing is getting her lawsuit heard successful tribunal Friday successful a uncommon ineligible situation against the country's restrictions connected unmarried women successful reproductive health.

Teresa Xu has been waiting since December 2019 for her 2nd proceeding astatine the Chaoyang People’s Court successful Beijing. She is suing Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital astatine Capital Medical University, a nationalist infirmary that forbid her from freezing her eggs, citing nationalist law.

Xu's triumph could people an important measurement for unmarried women successful China who privation to entree nationalist benefits. Unlike successful the U.S., though, tribunal judgements successful China bash not trust connected precedence.

“From 2018 until now, it’s been 3 years, and my eggs are getting older with me, and the deadline is much and much pressing," Xu said.

Her lawsuit is getting heard aft the latest census information showed that colonisation maturation was slowing, portion the proportionality of aged radical was growing. The fig of newborns had fallen each twelvemonth since 2016. National level statistic showed that 12 cardinal babies were calved successful 2020, down 18% from 14.6 cardinal successful 2019.

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Beijing has responded by allowing families to person a 3rd child, and said it volition revamp argumentation to assistance families who privation to person children.

For decades, China had instituted a “one-child” policy. It eased the restrictions somewhat successful 2015 to let families to person 2 kids, though that did not alteration the wide slowing of colonisation growth.

Yet, immoderate aspects of the system, specified arsenic tying reproductive wellness services and things similar maternity benefits to a woman's matrimony status, has made it hard for some. China lone allows joined couples to entree reproductive services and related benefits and they indispensable beryllium capable to beryllium their matrimony presumption with the license.

"I anticipation that the awesome it sends astir needing colonisation maturation volition let azygous women the accidental to beryllium capable to marque their ain choice," Xu told reporters successful beforehand of the court.

Xu visited the infirmary successful November 2018. When she went to the doctor, she was urged to person a kid alternatively of freezing her eggs. The doc besides requested to spot her matrimony license.

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Xu said her tribunal proceeding had been continually pushed back, owing successful portion to the pandemic.

She had concisely considered going abroad, but the costs — betwixt $15,500 to $31,000 — were not feasible.

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Wu reported from Taipei, Taiwan.

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