Why Have I Never Seen a Pregnant Chinese Woman?

Many pregnancy problems can be prevented by eating a healthy diet, getting regular prenatal care, and staying active. Make an appointment with your healthcare provider as soon as you think you may be pregnant.

Several women mentioned taboo foods, such as ‘Shang huo’ food that breaks the body’s yin-yang balance (like longan and spicy or barbecued food), or’mud eel’ that clarifies the blood (code 07). These foods should be avoided during pregnancy.

3. They don’t want to get pregnant

Chinese women often have trouble reconciling pregnancy with their careers. Even if they can get time off, many female employees discover that being pregnant is still a huge disadvantage at work. For example, Fan Huiling from Guangdong and a woman in Jilin both sued their employers after being fired or demoted when they returned to their jobs from maternity leave. The women won their cases, but the incidents were not isolated. Many other women have suffered the same fate.

4. They don’t want to get married

Close to half of young, urban Chinese women do not plan to get married, according to a survey. This is a huge blow to Beijing, which has been attempting to boost birth rates in order to avoid a looming demographic crisis that could devastate the country’s economic and social stability and possibly even threaten Communist Party rule.

There are many reasons why young Chinese women are rejecting the societal pressure to marry and have children. One 26-year-old university graduate from Shanghai told me that marriage is a “living hell.” She refused to get married and instead formed tight friendships with other like-minded women who share her nonconformist outlook.

The reason why pregnant chinese women don’t want to get married is that they have a deep distrust of the institution. They feel it is unfair to both men and women, and they believe that if they get married, their careers and personal freedom will be restricted. They also believe that the gods that watch over the fetus will be upset if the woman gets married and they might not protect her. This is why it is taboo for a person to touch a pregnant woman, especially in the early stages of pregnancy before she starts showing.