This might have come as a surprise for the authorities, which had projected a rise to 39,000 births.
So was the baby bonus worth the try? Yes, if we can draw insight from the experience.
Recognising that women, now better educated and more career-minded, are pushing childbearing till later, the government also increased service quotas for in vitro fertilisation in public hospitals. It’s a race against time for both aspiring mothers and the government, but policies – like encouraging IVF – need more time to come to fruition.
Couples consistently report that the main factor is the financial burden of raising children in this city. But that’s not all – it’s also about whether they feel Hong Kong offers a suitable environment.
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