Only 7 percent of the couples who got married in Beijing in 2011 underwent a pre-marriage medical check-up. The figure was almost 100 percent a decade ago. Also, the birth defect rate in the capital has doubled since the compulsory pre-marital check-up was phased out in 2003. This has prompted many to demand the resumption of the mandatory check-ups. The municipal health authorities, however, have decided to promote a one-stop pre-marital medical check-up so that more people can undergo the procedure on a voluntary basis, which is a welcome move, says an article on Xinhuanet.com. Excerpts:

People who are calling for the resumption of the mandatory pre-marital check-ups say the phasing out of the procedure is to blame for the high number of birth defects.

Earlier this year, media reports said Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, had resumed the practice. Although the reports turned out to be inaccurate, they triggered a heated debate, and 72 percent of the respondents to an opinion poll on weibo, or micro blog, wanted the practice to be resumed.

But is phasing out of the practice really to blame for the rise in the birth defect rate? We cannot correlate the two without analyzing the issue in depth, especially by taking other factors such as environmental degradation and unhealthy lifestyle into consideration.

That's why the municipal health authorities' move seems a rational approach. Instead of yielding to the call to resume the compulsory check-ups, the authorities have reflected on the efficacy of the mandatory practice and decided to promote voluntary pre-marital medical check-ups among Beijing residents.

(China Daily 08/30/2012 page9)