HK Lawmaker Urges IVF Access for Unmarried Women as Births Hit Record Low

China Grapples with Demographic Shifts as Birth Rate Hits New Low

Hong Kong legislator Judy Chan has urged the government to allow unmarried women access to assisted reproductive services amid record low birth rates in the city, a trend reflecting broader demographic challenges facing China. The call for expanded access comes as the country continues to navigate the long-term consequences of its former one-child policy.

Chan, a member of the New People’s Party, stated in the Legislative Council on Thursday, February 5, 2026, that only 31,714 babies were registered in Hong Kong last year, marking the lowest number on record. She advocated for policies aimed at promoting fertility, including allowing single women access to assisted reproductive technologies.

“If Hong Kong can make [assisted reproductive services] more inclusive, I believe it could support more families. And we can consider allowing [those who are unmarried] access to assisted reproductive services, in order to assist modern women who wish to give birth,” Chan said, according to reports.

Currently, access to assisted reproductive services, such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), in Hong Kong is restricted to heterosexual married couples. The New People’s Party has been advocating for a relaxation of these rules, outlining the proposal in a paper released ahead of the upcoming budget address. The party suggests “moderately relax[ing] restrictions” to benefit families in need.

The push for policy changes comes as Hong Kong, and China as a whole, experiences a significant decline in birth rates. Local media reported earlier in January that Hong Kong saw 31,714 registered births in 2025, a nearly 50 percent decrease compared to the 60,803 births registered in 2015. This decline is part of a larger trend, with China’s birth rate hitting record lows as its population continues to shrink.

The one-child policy, implemented between 1979 and 2015, aimed to curb population growth but had wide-ranging and unintended consequences. While the policy was initially near-universal in 1980, becoming enshrined in the constitution in 1982, exceptions were gradually introduced. By 1984, approximately 35.4% of the population was subject to the original, strict restrictions. Rural parents were later permitted to have a second child if their first was a daughter, and exceptions were made for some ethnic minorities.

In response to the declining birth rate, the government has incrementally adjusted the policy over the years. In 2015, the limit was raised to two children, and in May 2021, to three. Most recently, in July 2021, all limits were removed, accompanied by financial incentives to encourage families to have more children.

The demographic shifts are creating challenges for China, as highlighted by the Health Bureau. The country has one of the world’s most rapidly aging populations, with the population aged 65 and over projected to increase from 1.5 million in 2021 to 2.52 million in 2039, representing more than 30 percent of the total population. The proportion of those aged 80 and over is also expected to more than double during the same period.

Historically, China’s population policies evolved from pro-natalist rhetoric in the early years of the People’s Republic of China to concerns about overpopulation in the 1970s. Early family planning efforts were hampered by limited access to birth control and cultural reluctance to discuss reproductive health. The one-child policy, while credited with reducing birth rates, also led to an imbalanced sex ratio at birth, reaching 118 boys for every 100 girls born in 2005.

The long-term effects of these policies, and the current demographic trends, will undoubtedly have significant implications for China’s economic and social future, and potentially for the rest of the world.