In recent years, with the decline in the number of newborn babies, the maternity center market is facing the harsh reality of losses, leading to many centers being left deserted. It was recently reported that a pregnant woman in Chengdu, who was due to give birth in a week, found out that the maternity center she had booked six months in advance suddenly closed down. The more than 20,000 yuan deposit she paid could not be refunded, as the company was listed as a dishonest debtor in May of this year.
According to mainland state media reports on July 15, Mrs. Li, who is expecting her second child in Chengdu, started looking for a maternity center when she was three months pregnant in February this year. After conducting various inspections, she decided to stay at the Jumu Mother and Baby Health Management Center Shuijingfang store in Chengdu (referred to as “Chengdu Jumu Maternity Center”), as it was closer to her home and her husband’s company.
On February 10, Mrs. Li signed a contract with the maternity center for 30 days of postpartum care, including an additional 26 days of home care services, at a total price of 53,600 yuan. She paid a deposit of 26,800 yuan.
Around June 20, Mrs. Li saw online that another maternity center in Beijing under the same group suddenly closed down. She inquired with the Chengdu branch and was informed that the operations of the Chengdu branch were not affected.
By the end of June and early July, Mrs. Li heard that this center had previously delayed payments to maternity matrons and postpartum care staff. When she visited the center, she found that there were only a few new mothers and maternity matrons left, with the management and staff no longer present.
It is reported that Mrs. Li’s due date is next week, and due to the sudden closure of the intended maternity center, she had to find another center. She now just wants her deposit back as she did not receive any services.
According to Qichacha, on May 20th of this year, the parent company of the maternity center Mrs. Li had booked, Chengdu Chuangju Jumu Mother and Baby Care Services Co., Ltd., was listed as a dishonest debtor by the Chengdu High-tech Court, with an execution target of over 4.12 million yuan.
Some netizens pointed out that the incidents of maternity centers closing down are not isolated cases but indicative of industry chaos. They advised caution when signing contracts, as families expecting a child should not have to bear the brunt of such industry chaos.
Other netizens expressed their frustration at nearing childbirth only to encounter businesses running away, with some unscrupulous businesses completely disregarding consumer rights.
There were also reminders for consumers to strengthen their awareness of risks to avoid pregnant women becoming victims of commercial speculation.
With the decline in the birth rate, incidents of maternity centers closing down are becoming increasingly common. In 2024, a high-end maternity center in Shanghai, with an average price of nearly 200,000 yuan, closed down. In early 2025, a chain of maternity centers in Nanjing closed all five of its stores, while a maternity center in Changzhou also faced allegations of collective closures.
The latest report from the China Maternity and Childbirth Association shows that more than 60% of maternity centers were on the verge of losses in 2024.
The intensifying competition among maternity centers has led to a decrease in the monthly package price from an average of 58,000 yuan to 23,000 yuan. However, the low-price strategy has failed to bring long-term profitability, accelerating the risk of fund chain ruptures and ultimately leading to the closure and running-away of some institutions.