What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to examine the impact of China's universal two-child policy on depressive symptoms among women of childbearing age.

March 28, 2026Open Access

China’s universal two-child policy and depressive symptoms among women at childbearing age: a difference-in-difference analysis based on the China Family Panel Study

Key Points

This research aims to examine the impact of China's universal two-child policy on depressive symptoms among women of childbearing age.
Conducted a difference-in-difference analysis using the China Family Panel Study data.
Focused on married women of childbearing age to assess mental health outcomes post-policy implementation.
Analyzed the variation of depressive symptoms across different sociodemographic groups.
The implementation of the policy was associated with increased depressive symptoms among women.
Significant heterogeneity in depressive symptoms was observed across various sociodemographic groups.
Findings suggest that adjustments to fertility policies may need to consider women's mental health more closely.

Abstract

We observed that the implementation of the UTP was associated with increased depressive symptoms among married women of childbearing age in China, with significant heterogeneity across different sociodemographic groups. Greater attention should be paid to the complex psychological conditions of women of childbearing age when adjusting fertility policies, which is crucial to prevent women from suffering poor mental health and to advance high-quality development in population health.

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