Sounding board. The politics of contraception: the view from Beijing.

Abstract

Since China contains 1/4 of the world's population, what happens there with regard to limitation of fertility has significance for the whole world. Over the past decade, much has changed in China insofar as politics and the practice of birth control are concerned. At present, China is the only Communist country to support and practice an antinatalist policy, and, in fact, maintains the most stringent antinatalist policy in the world. The national aim has become the 1-child family, and there are strong incentives (food, health care, etc,) towards this end. To achieve this, China has directed much technical effort towards contraceptive production. Original Chinese products have been the paper pill in which the steroids are absorbed on water-soluble paper and Anordrin, a synthetic steroid known as the "vacation pill." A significant contribution also by the Chinese is a male contraceptive pill derived from gossypol. This particular contraceptive has been associated with serious side effects and it remains to be seen whether this work will result in a useful antifertility agent for men. The author suggests that it is now time to encourage collaboration between Western and Chinese researchers, especially since the Chinese have taken the initiative in enlisting interaction with foreign scientific groups, especially with the Special Programme of Research, Development, and Research Training in Human Reproduction of WHO. WHO is presently setting up 2 institutes of research on methods to control fertility in Shanghai and Beijing and Chinese scientists are involved in the WHO task forces on IUDs, orals, and postcoital and plant agents. Clearly, China is placing tremendous emphasis on fertility control and it seems that the U.S. and the Washington politicians in particular could learn from politicians in Beijing.