On average, every 100 local women of child bearing age -- defined as 20 to 50 years old -- have 95 children, about half the national average, according to the Shanghai Population and Family Planning Commission.

That number has been dropping for decades. In 1990, the average local woman had 1.5 children, and that dropped to one child per woman by 1996. These averaged figures are, of course, affected by ethnic and rural variations in application of the "one-child policy" and also by age factors.

While the birthrate in Shanghai has consistently been below the national average since the introduction of the "one-child policy" in the late 1970s, the city's development is now reducing the birthrate even further.

"Local women have a higher employment rate (than women in other parts of China), and many of them have already earned crucial, highly paid position in their companies and enterprises," said Wei Longgeng, a commission spokesman.

"Keen social competition prevents them from taking the nine-month maternity leave the law allows. In addition, the cost of bringing up a child here is also more expensive than in other regions of the country," said Wei.

Sun Zhongxin, an associate professor of sociology at Fudan University, says young couples in Shanghai have different values than their parents.

"This trend is a reflection of the changes in the value system of the Chinese, especially young people," said Sun. "Children are no longer viewed as a link to maintain the family and a family without children is not considered an unhappy or at least incomplete family. Young people starting to value their career development and life quality more, instead of the so-called social responsibility."

A survey of 1,250 local couples between the ages of 20 and 40 conducted by Fudan last October shows that married couples with no children make up 12.4 percent of local families.

Zhang fang, 29, has been married for two years, but she and her husband have no plans to have a baby in the foreseeable future.

"We want to enjoy our present carefree life," she said. "Currently, we don't have enough time and energy to take care of a baby because I am busy improving my career and undergoing further education."

While Chinese law guarantees women the right to nine months' maternity leave without losing their jobs or being transferred to a less-important position, many employers put pressure on women delaying to have children, providing another barrier for local couples.

A woman identified by the surname Li said her company fired her just two months before her delivery.

"In a recent case, we ordered a local cosmetics company to repay the hospital costs to a woman employee. But most people are still shy about filing lawsuits to protect their rights," said Gu Jianguo, a spokesman from Shanghai Huangpu District People's Court.

(eastday.com February 15, 2003)