Shanghai Municipal Population and Family Planning Commission's statistics indicate that the city's under-twenty mothers doubled in number in the last decade and the phenomena of more and more unmarried mothers and teenage mothers have attracted societal concern.

At present, in Shanghai, a hotline dedicated to single mothers has been launched, providing them with medical consultation and assistance. On the first date this hotline was set up, the service attracted 70 to 80 phone calls, with the phone ringing off the hook. Most of the questions posed to the hotline were questions that would be embarrassing for people to ask face-to-face.

According to latest statistics from Shanghai Municipal Population and Family Planning Commission, the number of young mothers under twenty years of age has doubled in the last decade and the problem of single and teenage mothers is on the rise. When such problems occur, the women affected often do not know how to talk to their families. This situation is confirmed by the type of questions most often asked in the hotline.

(CRI November 11, 2005)