BEIJING: An unmarried woman in China has lost a court challenge to freeze her eggs, highlighting concerns about a lack of technology options for Chinese people who consider delaying parenthood.
Teresa Xu, now 34, sued Beijing hospital in December 2019, in a landmark case, accusing her of violating her rights by refusing to freeze her eggs because of her marital status. chinese woman Fighting for your reproductive rights.
It is difficult for healthy women in China to use assisted-birth technology to delay the birth of their child. National regulations only allow such methods for medical issues, such as to treat infertility or to preserve people’s fertility before certain treatments.
According to a copy of the decision verified by Reuters on Sunday, the Chaoyang District People’s Court in Beijing ruled last week that China had no clear law on the specific application of assisted reproductive technologies, while they should be provided for medical purposes.
Xu said she was “outraged” by the July 18 decision and was planning to appeal.
“It’s a small, temporary setback,” she said in a video WeChat Social media platforms after the verdict came on Friday. “But I still believe that the reproductive rights of single Chinese women will improve and progress.”
The court completely rejected Xu’s claim.
Her challenge cited two Chinese provinces that have eased some barriers to access to certain assisted birth techniques for single women and that China’s laws prohibit the birth of single women, a statement from national officials said. Do not deny the right. But the court found that these do not establish that the Chinese health authority allows eggs to be frozen for non-medical reasons.
visited the zoo Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital In November 2018, she wanted to freeze her eggs while focusing on her career as a writer on gender issues, she said when she began her case the following year.
The court’s ruling said the hospital argued that freezing eggs posed several health risks and that delaying pregnancy or single motherhood could lead to other social problems. The hospital said it would decline any request to freeze eggs only to delay paternity.
The hospital did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
Xu of the northeastern province of Heilongjiang said that upon her first visit to the hospital for a checkup, the doctor asked about her marital status and urged her to have a baby immediately instead of freezing eggs.
On her second visit, the doctor told her she couldn’t move, she said.
Xu said he considered illegal clinics in China but decided against the idea, and that going abroad for such services was too expensive for him.
Teresa Xu, now 34, sued Beijing hospital in December 2019, in a landmark case, accusing her of violating her rights by refusing to freeze her eggs because of her marital status. chinese woman Fighting for your reproductive rights.
It is difficult for healthy women in China to use assisted-birth technology to delay the birth of their child. National regulations only allow such methods for medical issues, such as to treat infertility or to preserve people’s fertility before certain treatments.
According to a copy of the decision verified by Reuters on Sunday, the Chaoyang District People’s Court in Beijing ruled last week that China had no clear law on the specific application of assisted reproductive technologies, while they should be provided for medical purposes.
Xu said she was “outraged” by the July 18 decision and was planning to appeal.
“It’s a small, temporary setback,” she said in a video WeChat Social media platforms after the verdict came on Friday. “But I still believe that the reproductive rights of single Chinese women will improve and progress.”
The court completely rejected Xu’s claim.
Her challenge cited two Chinese provinces that have eased some barriers to access to certain assisted birth techniques for single women and that China’s laws prohibit the birth of single women, a statement from national officials said. Do not deny the right. But the court found that these do not establish that the Chinese health authority allows eggs to be frozen for non-medical reasons.
visited the zoo Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital In November 2018, she wanted to freeze her eggs while focusing on her career as a writer on gender issues, she said when she began her case the following year.
The court’s ruling said the hospital argued that freezing eggs posed several health risks and that delaying pregnancy or single motherhood could lead to other social problems. The hospital said it would decline any request to freeze eggs only to delay paternity.
The hospital did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
Xu of the northeastern province of Heilongjiang said that upon her first visit to the hospital for a checkup, the doctor asked about her marital status and urged her to have a baby immediately instead of freezing eggs.
On her second visit, the doctor told her she couldn’t move, she said.
Xu said he considered illegal clinics in China but decided against the idea, and that going abroad for such services was too expensive for him.