The Jing'an District Population and Family Planning Commission is conducting a pilot project that provides home visits to new couples on reproductive health, contraceptive methods and knowledge about child rearing, officials said.
If Jing'an District's trial proves successful, the program will be expanded citywide in the near future, health officials said.
"After receiving reports from the neighborhood communities, we will soon visit couples to give education and give guidance in accordance with their plan to have a family," said Wang Caiqin, a commission official.
"Previously, we started education on family planning after people had a baby. With people's new requirements about newborn quality, we advanced the timetable last year."
She said the program has received favorable responses from young couples.
"We consult the couple's plan on when they want a child and tell them of possible baby booms and suggest a better time for pregnancy," Wang said.
One couple said the knowledge is both practical and helpful.
"It is the first time I was told celery can hamper sperm development and I will consider it when planning to have a baby," said Zhang Li, a newlywed who received some information yesterday from district population and family planning officials.
"I want to have a baby in one or two years. So, the knowledge on childbearing preparation is very useful for me and my husband," said the 24-year-old Zhang.
Wang said now that a premarital physical is not mandatory before registering for marriage, many couples skip it. Therefore, the commission emphasizes the importance of a health check before trying to have a child, Wang said.
In addition to the home visit, the commission also set up a hot line and a health center in the neighborhood for convenience.