CRI听力:Two-child Policy Creates Demand for Maternity Matrons

In China, it is a common custom for mothers to stay in bed for at least a month of postpartum care after giving a birth, especially among older women who are more likely to experience medical complications.

Cui Jingwen, general manger from Li Ming Maternity Service Company, says new mothers need professional maternity matrons to care for them and their babies.

"In Chinese society, 95 percent of families are willing to accept the concept of neonatal care. They require good maternity care after giving birth. The concept is different from other countries that don't accept maternity care."

Professional maternity matrons in China may not be medically trained, but they do learn basic medical skills and pass a qualification exam from professional maternity schools before they go to work.

Mao Yuanxiu, a maternity nurse and a trainer from Li Ming Maternity Service Company, says many experienced matrons have enrolled in refresher courses to increase their skills in order to deal with the expected rise in demand among older women.

"After the announcement of the two-child policy, many mothers turned out to be too old. They will be in physical decline, and there will be damage on their blood pressure and blood sugar as well. That's why we opened new classes for our students."

An experienced maternity matron in China usually earns a considerable salary, from around 1,540 to 2,300 dollars per month.

Many experienced maternity matrons hope that older women who are given a second chance to have another baby may have more disposable income to spend on private nursing.

Yang Li has 10 years of experience as a maternity matron.

"I believe I will be getting busier and busier, and I will earn more. I hope my salary will be higher than what I have now."

However, Huang Wenzheng, an expert on demographics who has done research on China's population trends, thinks the two-child policy will produce only a very small rebound in China's decades-long low birth rate.

"This is no good news for those industries. You might be happy about the market in these few years, but in fact, the market is becoming smaller. It is irrational to invest your money in a shrinking market."

Although it is a complex situation for the maternity care industry in China, numerous people still deem it a potential business.

Yang Yufang is a 35-year-old student from Shanxi province.

"Now the government is promoting the two-child policy, so I think this should be a good business. That's why I think I should come and work as a maternity matron."

The two-child policy, which took effect at the beginning of this year, allows all couples in China to have a second baby, scrapping China's decades-old one-child policy.

It's been estimated that the new policy will lead to three million extra births each year in the first few years, boosting the annual number of births to nearly 20 million nationwide.

For CRI, this is Niu Honglin.