Fertility, Family Planning and Population Policy in China

China's one-child population policy, first initiated in 1979, has had an enormous effect on the country’s development. By reducing its fertility in the past two decades to less than two children per woman, and developing a family planning program focused heavily on sterilization and abortion, China has undergone a significant transition in status to a demographically developed country. Bringing together contributions from leading academics, this book looks at the impact of the government's strict control over planning and population growth on the family, the wider society and the country's demography. The contributors examine developments such as family planning policy and contraceptive use, biological and social determinants of fertility, patterns of family and marriage and China's future population trends. As such it will be essential reading for academics, researchers, policy makers and government officials with an interest in China’s population policy.

'The contributions present new, empirically grounded research on fresh topics in the field...this is a valuable addition to our knowledge of Chinese democracy.' - Population and Development Review'This book brings together a wealth of data on policy implementation, fertility trends and relations between fertility and a wide variety of variables thereby raising a number of interesting demographic, socio-economic and political issues.'- The China Quarterly 'This book is a comprehensive compendium on China's population policies, family planning programmes and the determinants of fertility reduction over the past 30 years.'- The China Quarterly 'I found the book enjoyable to read and recommend it to those who are interested in China's population issues.' - Zhongwei Zhao, The Australian National University, 'The contributions present new, empirically grounded research on fresh topics in the field...this is a valuable addition to our knowledge of Chinese democracy.' - Population and Development Review'This book brings together a wealth of data on policy implementation, fertility trends and relations between fertility and a wide variety of variables thereby raising a number of interesting demographic, socio-economic and political issues.'- The China Quarterly 'This book is a comprehensive compendium on China's population policies, family planning programmes and the determinants of fertility reduction over the past 30 years.'- The China Quarterly 'I found the book enjoyable to read and recommend it to those who are interested in China's population issues.' - Zhongwei Zhao, The Australian National University'[T]he book makes a valuable contribution, and will be of interest not only to researchers and program practitioners who have an interest in China’s changing population, but also to policymakers in China, because of its discussion of implications for China’s population future... [It] enriches our understanding of the origin, evolution, performance, and future of the largest and most systematic family planning program in the world.' - Guangyu Zhang, Studies in Family Planning, Vol. 39, No. 1, March 2008