(ECNS) -- A couple in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, was thrilled to drag through the last day of 2015 to allow their baby to be born in the new year, saving them a stiff fine of 500,000 yuan ($76,700) under China's previous one-child policy, Qianjiang Evening News reports.
Chinese lawmakers have formally approved ending the controversial one-child policy, but parents of second child born before New Year's Day were still subject to the longstanding policy as the one-child policy was still in effect.
It made many mothers-to-be go to great lengths to delay delivery. Among them was a Hangzhou woman surnamed Xu, whose baby was originally expected on December 26.
The woman remained motionless for five days to delay delivery and finally gave birth to a baby girl on January 2, 2016.
"The pain started during the night of January 1, so we rushed her to the emergency room at Renmin Hospital," said Lu, her husband.
The two-child policy announcement is expected to result in a baby boom next year after the state allowed all couples to have two offspring, according to the newspaper.
A Certificate of Permitted Birth is unnecessary for couples if new babies are born after New Year's Day, said Pan Zuguang, director of the Family Planning Division at the Zhejiang Health and Family Planning Commission.
