The intensive care unit (ICU) of a maternal and child care center encourages husbands to write love letters to their wives for consolation and company in order to help them recover in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province.

"Patients in ICU are often vulnerable and sensitive as their condition is serious," said Zhang Wenkai, a doctor with the ICU. The women worry about the newly born babies and also suffer from emotional issues.

Good mood is a better healer than anything else for their recovery, said Zhang, who has worked in the ICU for almost two years.

Writing letters is different from making phone calls or sending WeChat messages, said a husband surnamed Zhang. The process of writing with a pen calmed both my heart and mind and allowed me to play back my sweet days with my wife. "I followed the doctors' advice to write to her, but every word I wrote is full of my deep feelings for her."

More than 300 love letters have been written to the wives in the ICU, giving them the warmth and strength they urgently need.