China announced that it will cover all out-of-pocket medical expenses related to childbirth starting next year, as part of efforts to encourage more young couples to start families. The national healthcare security administration said the policy will include prenatal checkups and other medical services associated with childbirth.
Read More: China to pay parents $500 a year to boost birth rate
By 2026, authorities aim to provide nationwide full reimbursement for policy-covered medical expenses, ensuring that childbirth can be largely cost-free for parents.
China has announced an ambitious plan to make childbirth essentially free for parents under national insurance guidelines by 2026. #XinhuaNews pic.twitter.com/qM9VVq5Eul
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) December 14, 2025
The move comes amid China’s ongoing population decline. The country’s population fell for the first time in decades in 2022 and has continued to shrink through 2024. Experts warn that declining birth rates, coupled with a growing elderly population, could put increasing strain on local governments and the workforce.
⚡️China plans to make childbirth free nationwide and will impose a 13% tax on condoms and contraceptives from January 1, 2026, to address its declining birth rate. pic.twitter.com/0pfesxJfqN
— War Intel (@warintel4u) December 14, 2025
China’s low birth rate is linked to decades of the one-child policy, rapid urbanisation, high childcare and education costs, job insecurity, and economic slowdown. Many young couples have been reluctant to marry or have children due to financial and social pressures. Several provinces, including Jilin, Jiangsu, and Shandong, have already implemented policies to reduce childbirth costs.
In addition to reimbursing medical expenses, the government has expanded maternity leave, offered tax and financial incentives, and introduced housing subsidies to support families. In March, authorities pledged to respond actively to demographic challenges by providing childcare subsidies and making preschool education free.
Read More: China population to begin shrinking by 2025
By removing the financial barriers associated with childbirth, the government hopes to encourage population growth and ease the long-term economic and social pressures caused by an aging society. Observers say these policies mark a significant shift in China’s demographic strategy, as Beijing seeks to create a more family-friendly environment amid declining fertility rates.