As China looks for ways to increase the birth rate, young Chinese women are hesitant to become mothers but have embraced ‘e-pregnancy’, which allows them to save money and get comfortable with motherhood through a ‘virtual pregnancy’ after to imitate.
In a mix of concern about the rising cost of living and fascination with old-fashioned ‘tamagotchi’ toys, the system involves planning a pregnancy and allocating money for the various expenses associated with it, but that money actually goes to the women’s bank accounts. in the form of savings.
Pregnancy tests, vitamin supplements, medical examinations, hospital insurance for childbirth and healthy eating are some of the initial expenses that, instead of reducing income, increase savings.
Women have the opportunity to choose at what point in the ‘virtual pregnancy’ they start the game, where they can have other followers who interact with them, follow the process and are motivated to cover their ‘expenses’.
Xiaoding, an unemployed woman cited by media iFeng, decided to start her “virtual pregnancy” in September after three months of pregnancy, “as many celebrities do, I think, because the pregnancy is already stable at that time,” she said .
Over the next two months, as she bought pregnancy tests, folic acid and “nutritious” tofu soup, her number of followers grew to tens of thousands, saving her between 30 and 200 yuan (between eight and 25 euros), depending on the product purchased.
Some of her fans have even upped the ante and opted for ‘premium parenting’, saving the equivalent of the cost of imported vitamins and private hospital care.
But just like in real life, other players find it difficult to bear the costs inherent in motherhood, and some decide to end the “pregnancy” before full term.
The South China Morning Post quotes Miaomiao, a 23-year-old graphic designer from central Chongqing, who underwent a “virtual abortion” four months into her pregnancy because she could no longer afford “unexpected expenses.”
He saved 2,050 yuan (263 euros) in these four months, an amount that includes the price that a clinical break would have cost him in real life.
But the enthusiasm generated by the game is below millennials it did not awaken their maternal instincts and even discouraged some young women, who feel overwhelmed by the ‘intensity’ of the process.
“Many women still have fears and reservations about childbirth,” says Xiaoding, while Miaomiao says the topic of pregnancy makes her uncomfortable “because it is too compelling.”
As usual, the issue has also sparked some debate on Chinese social media, where many have an opinion on whether or not to play ‘e-pregnancy’.
“I’m afraid that people who have gone through the virtual experience are now even less willing to have children,” one Internet user complained, while other parents warned that real parenting is “much more complex and expensive” than the virtual version.
Recently, Chinese authorities have become increasingly concerned about the country’s low birth rate, despite the recent adoption of measures and campaigns to increase the birth rate.
Later this month, China will conduct a national population survey to gather information for formulating economic and social development plans.
The Asian giant registered an official decline of 850,000 inhabitants in 2022.
Although China has allowed its citizens to have a third child since 2021, the decision was not met with great enthusiasm by the population, due to the economic weight of raising children and the priority given to careers.
Source: DN
