Illegal fertility units in Changsha, Wuhan targeted

Local authorities in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province in Central China, have shut down a facility allegedly providing illegal assisted reproductive services and detained six people, according to a statement published by the local health bureau on Wednesday.

The health bureau said it acted on a public tip about an illegal operating theater in the city's Tianding Street area. Health and police officers arrived at the scene immediately, sealed off the premises and took six people into custody.

The investigation is ongoing, the bureau said.

In a separate case, health authorities in Wuhan, the capital of neighboring Hubei province, said on Tuesday that eight people had been detained in connection with an illegal assisted reproduction laboratory discovered in the city's Wuhu Street area following online reports.

China maintains strict oversight of institutions that provide fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization and egg-freezing technologies. Only certified medical institutions are permitted to perform such procedures, while all forms of commercial surrogacy are prohibited.

According to data from the National Health Commission, China currently has 645 medical facilities licensed to provide fertility treatment services, with clinical success rates reaching internationally advanced levels.