Editor's Note: Far fewer couples than expected have applied to the authorities to have a second child, a year after the country eased its family planning policy. Some even said the one-child policy should be fully relaxed, with all married couples strongly encouraged to have two children. Will these efforts to increase the birthrate work? Our forum readers share their opinions here and you are also welcome to add yours.

Eve (China)

The increased birth rate policy may be more limited in bigger cities. Using Shanghai as an example, the average age of women in Shanghai giving birth to their first child is 28. Generally speaking, most women will have the second child 3 or 4 years after they have their first child, which means they will be about 32-years-old at the time. This period is a golden time for a woman's career development and many would not miss these opportunities to have babies.

A combination picture shows 36 people, each born in a year that China's one child policy has been in place, September 20, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]