Liang Jianzhang: Suggest allowing single women to use assisted reproductive technology

In today’s society, with changing attitudes toward childbirth and evolving workplace environments, assisted reproductive technology has become an important way for many women to realize their reproductive wishes. However, China’s current policies restricting single women from using assisted reproductive technology are no longer suitable for the realities of social development, creating numerous obstacles for women who aspire to become mothers.

The former Ministry of Health issued the “Regulations on Human Assisted Reproductive Technology” in 2003, which stated: “It is prohibited to provide human assisted reproductive technology to couples and single women who do not meet the regulations of the national family planning laws and regulations.” This regulation, established over 20 years ago, was based on the fertility restrictions of that time. But as policies have shifted to support childbirth, this regulation has become clearly outdated. In practice, it directly prevents single women from legally accessing services like sperm banks and other assisted reproductive technologies, effectively depriving them of their reproductive rights. More concerning is that the policy restrictions have not eliminated demand; instead, they have fueled an underground assisted reproduction industry. Some single women, in pursuit of their reproductive desires, are forced to take risks by turning to unlicensed underground clinics, facing high costs, potential surgical failures, post-operative infections, and difficulties in legal rights protection. Their health and legal rights are under serious threat.

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