"二胎熱潮"致高齡產婦數量驟增

Hospitals and health authorities across China are bracing for an expected surge in older pregnant women this year, after the country adopted a second-child policy.

在我國實施"全面二孩"政策後，預計今年的高齡孕婦情況將劇增，全國的醫院和衛生部門正在爲此做着準備。

The policy, which encourages all couples to have two children, took effect on Jan 1.

這項政策於1月1日正式生效，鼓勵所有夫婦生育2個孩子。

An additional 90 million women in China, roughly equivalent to the total population of Germany, will eligible to have a second child under the policy, according to estimates by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, China's top health authority.

據中國最高衛生機構國家衛生和計劃生育委員會估計，實施"全面二孩"政策後，新增可生育二孩的婦女數量將達到9000萬，這一數字大約相當於德國的全部人口。

The commission said 60 percent of the 90 million will be 35 years old or older, which will result in increased risk of complications in pregnancy and pose more challenges to health authorities in ensuring maternal and child health.

國家衛計委表示，這9000萬婦女中60%年齡在35歲(含)以上，這將導致孕產期併發症的風險增大，並且將會給衛生部門在確保母嬰健康方面帶來巨大的挑戰。

Measures will be taken to guide pregnant women to choose grassroots hospitals first, since top-level hospitals are overcrowded, the commission said.

此外，國家衛計委表示，由於大醫院人滿爲患，我國將採取措施引導孕婦優先選擇基層醫院。

The health authorities are planning to improve the hospitals' emergency treatment capabilities and streamline procedures so that deliveries with critical complications can be transferred between hospitals in a timely manner.

衛生部門正在計劃提高醫院的急救處理能力以及簡化相關程序，這樣當出現嚴重的併發症是，可以及時轉移醫院。