1st Edition
Premarital Abortion in China Intimacy, Family and Reproduction
Drawing on participant observations, in-depth interviews, and content analysis of online materials, Lai investigates the role of individual choice, relationships, and institutions in unmarried Chinese women’s decisions to terminate their pregnancies.
Where many previous studies have focused on abortion in China as a state-mandated procedure to enforce the one-child policy, Lai looks at a new era, where abortion is primarily based on individuals’ decisions. While young women in China enjoy greater freedom to pursue their personal, sexual, and reproductive aspirations, their autonomy remains constrained by structural inequalities of gender, class, and migration status, which are reproduced through the intersection of state policies, market forces, and patriarchal family culture. In this book, Lai recounts the stories and presents the voices of unmarried young adult women, and documents the impact of sweeping socioeconomic transformation on their reproductive experiences in contemporary China amidst the ending of the one-child policy.
Essential reading for scholars of Chinese society and of family and gender studies globally.
List of figures
List of tables
Acknowledgments
1 Introduction
Premarital Abortion as the Subject of Analysis
Constructing an Analytical Framework for the Study of Premarital Abortion in China
Studying Premarital Abortion in China
The Research Site
Characteristics of Informants
Ethical Considerations
The Organization of the Book
2 Premarital Abortion and Reproductive Politics in China
From Taboo to Social Problem
State Policies and Premarital Abortion
Intimacy, Marriage, Family, and Premarital Abortion
Contextualizing Premarital Abortion in the East Asian Demographic Transition
The Present Framework
3 The “Complete Life” in Reality: The Decision-Making of Premarital Abortion
Self-Governing Reproductive Agency in the Making
The “Choice” of Abortion
Postponing Familial Role
Rejecting a Hasty Marriage
Fear of Being a Single Mother
Pursuing a “Nested Birth”
Preparing for a Quality Child
Conclusion
4 The Intimate Trial: Couple Interaction during Premarital Abortion
Normalizing Sex, Pragmatizing Love
Seeking a Kaopu Man
“Authentic” Sex and “Somewhat Poisonous” Pill: Couple’s Contraceptive Use
Abortion as the Intimate Trial
Immediate Reaction to Pregnancy
Abortion Decision-Making
Assistance in Medical Procedures
Caretaking
Financial Contribution
Rationalizing Love: Women’s Reflections on Intimate Relationships after an Abortion
Conclusion
5 The Bonded Daughter: Intergenerational Dynamics and Premarital Abortion
Parental Expectations of a Daughter’s Future Husband and Marriage
Partner’s Socioeconomic Capacity
Geographical Proximity
Partner’s Personal Qualities
Familial Reputation
Intergenerational Interactions during an Abortion
Excluding Parents from Their Abortion
Referencing Perceived Parental Views
Consulting Parents
Conforming to Parental Intervention
Conclusion
6 Articulating Abortion: Women’s Post-Abortion Experiences
Articulating Complex Emotions
Navigating the Reflexive Self after Abortion
Infertility Panic and the Damaged Body
(De)personifying the Fetus, Regulating Emotions
Reframing Responsibility
Contesting the Meaning of “Rights”
Reclaiming Reputation
Conclusion
7 Humanized Care in Practice: Abortion Provisions in China
The Emergence of Humanized Care in China
Abortion Services in Three Medical Contexts
Basic Care in Public Hospitals
Commodified Care: For-Profit Private Hospitals
Patient-Centered Care: Community Clinic
Conclusion
8 Premarital Abortion and Reproductive Justice in China: Now and the Future
Premarital Abortion in the Era of Demographic Challenges
The Future of Reproductive Justice in China
Appendix
Socioeconomic Characteristics of the Women (N = 62)
Bibliography
Index
Biography
Ruby Y. S. Lai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Policy at Lingnan University, specializing in gender, family, and reproduction.
