For decades, China implemented a strict population control policy that prevented couples from having more than one child. This policy was relaxed in 2013, allowing families to have two children if either one of the parents was an only child.
At the beginning of this year, the policy was abolished altogether, allowing all families to have two children. But with many parents approaching the end of their child-bearing years, they are increasingly resorting to assisted reproductive methods to have a second child. CCTV's Tao Yuan spoke to one such mother who asked not to be identified.
36-year-old Wang Yan already has a teenage daughter. But for many years, she and her husband wanted a second child.
"We migrated to the city from the countryside for work. So at home, there's just my daughter with the grandparents. She's too lonely. And she has too much pressure with all our expectations on her. I wanted to have another child," Wang said.
But when China relaxed its one-child policy in 2013, Wang Yan found out she was no longer fertile.
In this hospital in southwest China, it's a problem that troubles many older couples. Many are resorting to in-vitro fertilisation, or IVF treatment.
An egg and a sperm are combined outside the human body, and the resulting embryo transferred to the mother's uterus.
Lyu Qun is the director of the hospital's assisted reproduction department.
"I estimate about 20% of our patients are here for a second child. Many women here are over 35, even in their 40s. Their eggs have aged, and their chromosome abnormality rate is high. It's hard for them to get pregnant, and when they do, there's high chance of miscarriage," Lyu said.
Wang Yan received IVF treatment in 2014. At her age, she was lucky enough to succeed on the first try.
Last year, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
"I was so excited. My whole family was -- everybody. I'm exhausted everyday between two kids and a job. But I'm so happy, no matter how hard it is on the body," she said.
More than 200,000 couples receive IVF Treatment in China every year. The number is growing rapidly since the relaxation of the one child policy. But despite the numbers, there's still sensitivity and even stigma surrounding the issue.
Doctors are hoping to break down the stereotype.
"Many will ask questions, like is there any problem with test tube babies? Are they different in some way? But in reality, we are only assisting reproduction with modern technology. It's not replacing natural pregnancy. People should understand, this is a natural process," Lyu said.
Wang Yan wants nothing more than to protect her newborn son.
"He's no different than any other child. But I'm still worried others will see him differently. Still, when he's old enough, I will tell him how he was born," Wang said.
For her, and many others like her, it's a long lost dream, that finally came true.
