Lawyers seek end to forced contraception

A group of lawyers signed an appeal to China's top family planning authority Wednesday demanding the cancelation of forced intrauterine device (IUD) implants, which have allegedly been used by some local officials to prevent women from having a second child.

In the letter to the National Population and Family Planning Commission (NPFPC) and the Ministry of Public Security, 13 female lawyers suggested the government show more respect for women's rights and that contraception was a matter of people's free will.

Some mothers could not get a hukou (household registration) for their first-born unless they have placed an intrauterine device, or a contraception ring, inside their womb, according to recent online postings and media reports. This measure has been forcibly taken by authorities in several places including Shandong, Guangdong and Henan provinces, the report said.

IUD used to be a common form of contraception in the 1980s and in rural areas, but forced IUD surgery has since been replaced by other measures, which has left the public shocked at the news.

"I'm trying to get the top authorities' attention and carry out effective measures to terminate the misconduct," said Henan-based lawyer Zhang Juan, who is also one of the appeal's initiators.

While the population and family planning law encourages couples who have had a child to use contraception, it doesn't specifically require women to use contraception rings, nor does it connect hukou registration with contraception, Zhang told the Global Times. The law says the government is responsible for informing residents on safe and effective contraception measures and that family planning institutions should provide safe services for people.

The alleged practice has led to massive online criticism and discussions, with Web users denouncing the local officials for infringing on human rights and women's health. The issue became the focus of international uproar in June when Shaanxi resident Feng Jianmei was forced by local officials to abort her 7-month-old baby.

The mother of an 8-month-old in Guizhou Province, surnamed Chang, told the Global Times she was told by the residential community's administrators to undergo contraception surgery when she applied for her son's hukou in April.

"I managed to get a doctor's note to prove my health condition is currently unsuitable for the surgery. But I still have to place the device when my physical condition permits," she said. She explained that many of her friends who were forced to undergo the surgery suffer stomach pains and bleeding after the operation.

Contraception rings, although not necessarily harmful, should not be an excuse for family planning, said Rong Qi, a Beijing-based doctor who specializes in gynecology and obstetrics.

"The device is actually the safest and most effective measure to prevent pregnancy for married women with children," said Rong.

The device, usually made from copper or plastic, can stay in the womb for one or two decades without hurting women, she said. However, there are occasionally some side effects, such as bleeding, she added.

An NPFPC officer told the Beijing Times there were no national regulations requiring women to take contraception rings before registering for their children's hukou.