China to Enhance Research on Sex LifeThe State Family Planning Commission will enhance research on contraceptive technology that may help improve people's sex lives and prevent unwanted pregnancies.The top priority for this effort is to develop oral contraceptive pills for men and contraceptive methods for young mothers during the breast-feeding period. The commission also expects to discover new prenatal diagnostic technology to prevent birth defects and new measures to prevent and cure sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. Research is also on tap into the prevention and control of gynecological diseases, breast cancer and prostate illness. A nationwide information network will be set up to collect reports on the adverse effects of some contraceptives and disseminate the information to help more people select methods they like, said Xiao Shaobo, director of science and technology development with the commission. The latest nationwide investigation done by the commission indicates that the most urgent demand of people at child-bearing ages is for safe contraceptives to avoid unwanted pregnancies. That's followed by provisions to ensure the birth of healthy babies and then the desire for more facilities to help maintain bodily health. Progress in Sexual HygieneChina has strengthened research on safe and cheap contraceptives in recent decades.Some 20 institutions are researching in this field and more than 40 factories are making related products. The country has established co-operation with major contraceptive producers in the United States, Britain and Germany. China has 352 million women at reproductive age between 15-49 years old, about 251 million of whom are married, statistics show. About 227 million married couple use contraceptives. Most of the contraceptives are distributed by volunteers at family planning service centers. There are now more than 3,000 maternal and children's health- care centers and 33,300 family planning service centers across the country. China spends some 300 million yuan on contraceptive distribution every year. More than 62 percent of married women obtain contraceptives for free, while 28.6 percent buy them from drugstores. The quality of contraceptives has been improved steadily, as proved by the recent selection of a China-made condom by the United Nations Population Fund for a purchase plan. It is the first time a China-made contraceptive product has entered the world market. China's annual condom production capacity is 3.1 billion, but only made 2.2 billion condoms last year. |
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