When she was pregnant with a baby boy, actress Ma Tian, in China, made many friends jealous because her child would be born in the year of the "golden dragon".
She and her husband tried to have a baby right after their wedding in July 2023, also because of this.
"Although the dragon symbol doesn't have much personal significance for either of us, we were taught from a young age that the Chinese are descendants of the dragon," the woman said, adding that as soon as she signed the marriage certificate, she was ready to get pregnant and give birth in 2024.
The maternity industry in China and many other Asian countries is preparing for a surge in births in the Year of the Dragon 2024. According to the beliefs of these countries, the Year of the Dragon brings blessings, people born in this year are often lucky, talented, beautiful and wealthy. The Year of the Dragon, which occurs every 12 years according to the zodiac cycle, makes the number of births high after 10 years.
China's birth rate has been falling at an alarming rate for the seventh consecutive year, despite government efforts to boost fertility. The Year of the Dragon was expected to help ease the population problem, but expectations are lower this year.
“I think there could be an increase, but it will be moderate,” said assistant professor Mu Zheng, a sociologist who studies Chinese fertility at the National University of Singapore.
He said having a baby is a big decision that needs to be carefully considered. "The auspicious meaning of the Year of the Dragon may motivate those who intend to have children, but for those who have not thought about it, it is not very effective."
That glimmer of hope will not be enough to reverse the country's rapid slide in birth rates, which leaders have tried to stem with pro-natalist policies ranging from extended maternity leave to cash bonuses.
Meanwhile, in Singapore , many hospitals are adding services that were not available before. Before February 10, the first day of the Lunar New Year, Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Mount Alvernia Hospital in Singapore opened new maternity wards. Thomson Medical Center will complete upgrading its facilities by March.
Compared to the same period in other years, the Thomson Medical Center has seen an increase in obstetric scans. PEM Babysitting has seen a 5% to 7% increase in bookings. Confinement meal provider NouRiche says it has received a lot of inquiries from parents via its hotline.
A baby boy was born on the first day of 2024. Photo: Korea Joongang Daily
Most hospitals and service providers approached by the Straits Times said they expected business growth to be between 5% and 20%.
The gap in births this year and other years is starting to narrow, as young couples' confidence wanes.
According to data from the Singapore Department of Statistics, in 2012, the most recent Year of the Dragon, the country recorded 38,000 residential births, up from 36,000 in 2011 and 35,000 in 2013. In 2000, there were 44,000 residential births, up from 41,000 in 1999 and 39,000 in 2001.
Using previous monitoring data, experts predict that the number of births will no longer spike in the Year of the Dragon, after the total fertility rate (TFR) reached a historic low of 1.04 in 2022.
In South Korea , 2024 is known as the Year of the Blue Dragon, which is part of a 60-year sexagenary cycle based on the 10 heavenly stems and 12 earthly branches, according to the country's philosophy. Many young Koreans consider this one of the reasons to get married and have children.
"It may be superstitious, but it's true that people born in the year of the dragon have strong, independent personalities," said Kim Hye-young, born in 1988 and living on Jeju Island.
According to Statistics Korea, the rebound in births coincided with the luckiest years in the lunar calendar. About 497,000 babies were born in 2007, the Year of the Pig, up 10 percent from the previous year. In 2000, the year of the millennium, about 640,000 babies were born in the country, up from 621,000 in 1999. In 2010, the Year of the White Tiger, also considered lucky, South Korea saw a fertility rebound. Given this pattern, experts predict that births will increase this year.
Thuc Linh (According to Straits Time, Korea Joongang Daily )
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