China's falling premarital medical checkup rate has spurred an increase in the number of babies with congenital physical defects, an official report has warned.

The report said the percentage of new couples having premarital medical checkups had plummeted from 68 percent in 2002 to 3 percent in 2005.

"Consequently, the rate of newborns with congenital defects has risen from 11 per thousand in 2002 to 14 per thousand in 2005," said the report.

It was written by the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council.

Premarital health checks used to be compulsory for couples applying for a marriage permit in China, especially in urban areas. But under the new regulations on Marriage Registration adopted in October 2003, the process was made voluntary.

However, because most of the tests cost money, 97 percent of people choose not to have them.

In 2001, the State Council issued a 10-year plan on children's development (2001-10), which says that the country hoped to raise premarital checkup rates in urban and rural areas to 80 percent and 50 percent, respectively in 2010, and significantly lower the congenital defect rate.

"In the current situation, achieving the targets is rather difficult," the report said.

Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that birth defects affect one in 10 Chinese households, imposing a total annual financial burden of 1 billion yuan (US$125 million).

Nearly 30 million households are raising or have raised babies born with defects.

Cleft palettes, neural tube defects, abnormal numbers of fingers or toes, congenital heart disease and water on the brain are the top five birth defects among Chinese babies.

In an effort to prevent rising congenital diseases, many local governments have started to offer free premarital check-ups, but the response has been slow.

The report also warned of the rising danger of HIV/AIDS transmission from mother to infant.

Official statistics show that China has 650,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, many of whom are at the age of having children.

The report said the proportion of women among reported HIV carriers rose from 16.3 percent in 2000 to 27.6 percent in 2005, increasing the danger of mother-to-infant transmission.

(China Daily May 21, 2007)