China has announced that all tertiary-level hospitals must offer epidural anaesthesia during childbirth by the end of 2025, with secondary hospitals required to follow suit by 2027. The initiative, led by the National Health Commission (NHC), aims to promote a more “friendly childbearing environment” for women amid the country’s declining birth rate.
Tertiary hospitals, which typically have over 500 beds, are expected to comply within this year, while secondary hospitals—with more than 100 beds—must offer the service by 2027. The directive is part of a broader strategy to address China’s ongoing demographic challenges, as the population declined for the third straight year in 2024.
Currently, only about 30% of pregnant women in China receive epidural anaesthesia during childbirth, compared to over 70% in many developed nations. The World Health Organization supports epidurals for healthy women requesting pain relief, with usage rates reaching 82% in France and over 67% in the U.S. and Canada.
The NHC stated that the expansion of epidural services will enhance both the comfort and safety of maternal care, while also contributing to a greater sense of well-being for expectant mothers.
Several provinces are also beginning to include epidural costs under public health insurance to further reduce barriers to childbirth. This comes as high child-rearing expenses, job insecurity, and economic slowdown deter many young people in China from marriage and parenthood.
In another supportive move, authorities in Sichuan province recently proposed extending marriage leave to 25 days and maternity leave to 150 days, as part of efforts to build a “fertility-friendly society.”
