Premarital Abortion: Reproductive Politics in Post-Socialist China

This thesis examines reproduction among the unmarried population in China by focusing on premarital abortion in relation to the family, the state, and the market. Based on the findings, I introduce a framework that incorporates the individual, relational, and social dimensions of reproduction. The framework suggests that the experiences of premarital abortion are situated in a web of interpersonal relationships that are entwined between the women, their male partners and their parents. These relationships serve as the interfaces that connect the women reproductive selves to the macro social structures, and are interweaved in the lives of these women. I argue that abortion is essential for women to exercise their bodily control and to survive in an increasingly uncertain and stratified society, but it is insufficient for them to achieve reproductive autonomy. To enhance individuals’ reproductive freedom, policy should be directed at eliminating discriminations based on gender, class, and migration status.