Hospitals and health authorities across China are bracing¹ for an expected surge in older pregnant women this year, after the country adopted a second-child policy.

在我国实施"全面二孩"政策后，预计今年的高龄孕妇情况将剧增，全国的医院和卫生部门正在为此做着准备。

The policy, which encourages all couples to have two children, took effect on Jan 1.

这项政策于1月1日正式生效，鼓励所有夫妇生育2个孩子。

An additional 90 million women in China, roughly equivalent to the total population of Germany, will eligible² to have a second child under the policy, according to estimates by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, China's top health authority.

据中国最高卫生机构国家卫生和计划生育委员会估计，实施"全面二孩"政策后，新增可生育二孩的妇女数量将达到9000万，这一数字大约相当于德国的全部人口。

The commission said 60 percent of the 90 million will be 35 years old or older, which will result in increased risk of complications in pregnancy³ and pose more challenges to health authorities in ensuring maternal⁴ and child health.

国家卫计委表示，这9000万妇女中60%年龄在35岁(含)以上，这将导致孕产期并发症的风险增大，并且将会给卫生部门在确保母婴健康方面带来巨大的挑战。

Measures will be taken to guide pregnant women to choose grassroots hospitals first, since top-level hospitals are overcrowded, the commission said.

此外，国家卫计委表示，由于大医院人满为患，我国将采取措施引导孕妇优先选择基层医院。

The health authorities are planning to improve the hospitals' emergency treatment capabilities⁵ and streamline⁶ procedures so that deliveries with critical complications can be transferred between hospitals in a timely manner.

卫生部门正在计划提高医院的急救处理能力以及简化相关程序，这样当出现严重的并发症是，可以及时转移医院。