(Photo/ycwb.com)

Postpartum care centers, an emerging industry in China, are now experiencing rapid expansion thanks to the country's comprehensive implementation of the universal two-child policy as well as the current baby boom among couples born during 1980s and 1990s.

The services of these postpartum care centers are generally divided into two - one for mothers and the other for babies. Prices normally range from approximately 20,000 to hundreds of thousands of RMB. However, the big price gap does not suggest a sharp difference in service content.

These postpartum care centers, though charging high prices, are still in great demand in many Chinese cities. However, as an emerging industry, they have not yet been systematically regulated and monitored by the authorities.

A large proportion of postpartum care centers are registered as household management companies, an investigation by ycwb.com found. But the operations of business places where food and accommodation are provided for puerperae do not obviously fall into the category of household management.

An insider said related departments should establish monitoring systems for the industry.

"As an emerging market, it has bright prospects," said obstetrician, Liu Yanpin, from a hospital in Dongguan, southern China's Guangdong province. But she added that related departments must enhance supervision of the industry, especially fire safety and sanitation.

Many postpartum care center owners have been bragging about their medical background, food served, postnatal recovery or baby care services. A postpartum care center in Shenzhen claimed all of its employees once worked in medical institutions. "Our staff have all been certificated as nurses," it said.

However, Shenzhen Municipality Health and Family Planning Commission responded by stating that postpartum care centers are not medical establishments, and are not under the commission's supervision.

According to a postpartum care center in Zhuhai, the emergence of the industry in fact originated from social demand. With the implementation of the two-child policy, many couples have decided to have a second child.

Now supply on the market is falling short of demand, and over 60 percent of customers are planning to have their second child. Some customers have to make appointment at least half a year in advance of their due date of delivery.