Progressive Times, Regressive Birth Rates: The Rise and Fall of Hong Kong Babies?

Abstract Since the 1970s, birth rates in Hong Kong have continuously experienced a significant decline, even before the outbreak of COVID-19. To the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (FPAHK), this is an unexpected outcome of their earlier attempts in advocating birth control after the 1950s to tackle a baby boom. This paper begins by exploring the FPAHK’s origins, methods to advocate family planning in its early years, success achieved in the late 1970s to early 1980s through the well-known “Two is Enough” public media campaign as well as its fall from grace in the 21st century. I will include how and why the FPAHK’s latest “How Many Is Enough” campaign of 2015 failed to appeal to the Hong Kong public, unlike in 1975. By combining insights from the disciplines of History and the emerging field of Science and Technology Studies (STS), I argue that the FPAHK caused positive as well as negative impacts in Hong Kong birth rates and that government can actually reverse low birth rates if it can go further than its current approach. Firstly, older people in Hong Kong should be encouraged to give births. Secondly, more subsidies for using Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) including In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) should be given. Last but not least, the Hong Kong government can lift more bans that limit some people’s usage of Assisted Reproductive Technology. The paper concludes by projecting the possible severe impacts that an irreversible decline in birth rates can bring to Hong Kong society. Keywords: Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART); Birth Rates: Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (FPAHK); Fertility; Media Campaign