TAIPEI – Sarah Gao had a busy job. As the head of a 500 million yuan ($76.8 million) investment fund, she was constantly flying across China on business trips.
Then she found out she was pregnant. Her pregnancy, with her then-boyfriend, was unplanned. But Gao, who was 40, thought she wouldn't have any more chances, and decided to keep the baby.
What she did not realize was how that decision would lead to a nearly four-year legal battle for her maternity benefits. Her protracted fight highlights the consequences that Chinese women face when they raise a child outside of a marriage.
The vast majority are unable to access public benefits, ranging from paid maternity leave to prenatal exam coverage, because their status is in a legal gray zone.