Midwife pens graphic guide to childbirth

Inspired, the midwife started work on the hand-drawn graphic guide in her spare time. She didn't have any drawing skills, but Zhang managed to finish more than 10 pages of cartoons based on her working experience in the hospital within two weeks.

Her illustrations have proved both effective and popular. The hospital decided to make them into a brochure, which is divided into five chapters, covering topics such as delivery, having an epidural and birth companions.

Zhang has also composed a series of short phrases for expectant mothers to memorize, covering important information about the events before and during childbirth.

"For those who don't know what will happen and are afraid of not being able to understand the doctors or not being understood, the brochure tells them almost everything they need to know in a simple way," Zhang said. "It does help."

About 17.86 million babies were born in China last year, a rise of 1.31 million compared with 2015, thanks in part to the country's second-child policy.

Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital ranks top nationwide in terms of the number of babies delivered in the past three years.

"About 2 to 3 percent of the women in delivery have some kind of communication barrier with the medical staff," said Liu Hong, head nurse of the hospital's obstetrics department. "While the percentage of people with hearing and speaking difficulties remains stable, we've been receiving a growing number of women from foreign countries."

Which is why the hospital has introduced an English version of the booklet.

"We're glad to see that the brochure helps not only those who have difficulty communicating with our medics, but also generally all those who come here to have babies," Liu said. "It helps them relax."

The hospital plans to make the brochure an official guide and give one to every pregnant woman who comes to the hospital.

Zhang said she feels "proud and gratified" when she helps deliver a child successfully and is able to hold a newborn baby in her arms.

"I will keep on collecting feedback on the brochure to improve it," she added.