Over 1 million Chinese benefited from fertility treatment coverage last year

All 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland have covered assisted reproductive services under their medical insurance programs as part of a broader push to encourage births and build a birth-friendly society, an official said on Thursday.

Liu Juan of the National Healthcare Security Administration said that more than 1 million people have benefited from the insurance reimbursement policy for fertility treatment last year.

"Some provinces have also covered pain relief services during labor under insurance programs so as to relieve financial burdens and physical pain of pregnant women," she said.

"Meanwhile, we have accelerated formulating pricing guidelines for services such as care for neonatal care and family-accompanied childbirth so as to help improve pediatric and obstetric services and meet diversified fertility needs of the public," she said.