Rising number of abortions performed on young women
年轻女性堕胎人数增加

Abortions have become a frequent scene in many Chinese movies about young lovers.

This reflects a fact -- no longer a secret --- that more young women in China are choosing to end their pregnancies.

"Our patient data show that the average age of patients getting abortions has been decreasing over the past years. At least half of them are 25 years or younger," Dr. Zhang Lisong with Beijing Fuxing Hospital said.

Nationwide, 13 million abortions are carried out each year. 62 per cent are performed on women aged between 20 and 29, mostly single.

More and more of these abortions are being seen in younger and younger students.

"More students in junior high school, high school or college come to get abortions. Especially after the winter or summer break. the number of students is very high," Dr. Zheng Jie with Beijing Fuxing Hospital said.

Online ads and brochures advertise "painless abortions" that are safe and easy. But reality is anything but easy and not always even safe. Up to 5 in 100 women who have abortions become infertile.

They are also prone to higher risk of bacterial infection and ectopic pregnancies.

Some also blame the lack of sex education in China. A survey by the China World Contraception Day organization showed that more than 68% of Chinese women did not understand the difference between oral contraceptives and the morning-after pill.

Only about 1 percent of Chinese women take oral contraceptives. In developed countries, that number is between 30 and 50 percent.

Efforts to increase awareness and education are underway, so young women don't have to learn these lessons the hard way.