Measures for Implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Maternal and Infant Care

Chapter I General Provisions Article 1These Measures are formulated in accordance with the Law of the People's Republic of China on Maternal and Infant Health Care (hereinafter referred to as the Law on Maternal and Infant Health Care). Article 2Institutions engaged in maternal and infant health care services within the territory of the People's Republic of China and their staff shall observe the Law on Maternal and Infant Health Care and these Measures. The family planning technical services performed by institutions engaged in family planning technical services are governed by the Regulations on Administration of Technical Services for Family Planning. Article 3Technical services for maternal and infant health care mainly include the following items: (1) popular science dissemination, education and consultation on maternal and infant health care; (2) pre-marital medical examination; (3) prenatal diagnosis and genetic disease diagnosis; (4) skills of midwifery; (5) performance of birth control surgery according to medical needs; (6) disease screening for newborn babies; (7) other reproductive health care services on childbearing, birth control and infertility. Article 4Citizens have the right to learn the truth of and to choose maternal and infant health care. The State guarantees its citizens' right to gain access to appropriate maternal and infant health care services. Article 5Maternal and infant health care shall focus on health care for the purpose of safeguarding reproductive health, and implement the policy of combining health care with clinic treatments, meeting the needs of various groups and the needs of citizens at the grass-roots level, and giving priority to prevention. Article 6People's governments at various levels shall include maternal and infant health care into their plans for economic and social development, provide necessary economic, technical and material conditions for the development of maternal and infant health care, and give special support to the maternal and infant health care in areas inhabited by national minorities and in poverty-stricken areas. People's governments at or above the county level may, in the light of the particular conditions and needs of their respective localities, set up special fund for development of maternal and infant health care. Article 7The administrative department of public health under the State Council takes charge of the work of maternal and infant health care throughout the country, and performs the following duties: (1) to formulate supporting rules and technical norms for the Law on Maternal and Infant Health Care and these Measures; (2) to formulate national development plan and implementing procedures for the maternal and infant health care on the principal of guiding the work in the light of the particular conditions of different areas and different administrative levels; (3) to organize the popularization of appropriate technologies for maternal and infant health care and other reproductive health services; (4) to exercise supervision over the work of maternal and infant health care. Article 8Departments of finance, public security, civil affairs, education, labor security and family planning of people's governments at or above county level shall, within the scope of their respective duties, coordinate efforts with the administrative departments of public health at the same levels in the work of maternal and infant health care.