If parents cannot care for their newborn, the only legal option is to register the adoption with the civil affairs bureau: paying someone to hand over the child may be prosecuted as child trafficking, while abandoning the child constitutes abandonment.

There is no monetary cost. However, submitting documents to a civil affairs bureau at or above the county level, waiting for review, and undergoing an adoption assessment all require time and effort.

Article 240 of the Criminal Law states: “Whoever traffics in women or children shall be sentenced to not less than five years but not more than ten years of fixed-term imprisonment and shall also be fined. In cases involving aggravating circumstances, the sentence shall be not less than ten years of fixed-term imprisonment or life imprisonment, with a fine or confiscation of property; in especially serious cases, the offender shall be sentenced to death, with property also confiscated.” Article 17 of the “Opinions on Punishing Crimes of Trafficking in Women and Children” clarifies how to distinguish between voluntary placement and trafficking, emphasizing that the decisive factor is whether the perpetrator seeks illegal profit. Three scenarios qualify as selling one’s own child: (1) using childbirth as a means to profit and then selling the child; (2) knowingly transferring the child to someone without any intention of raising him/her, solely for monetary gain; (3) accepting sums far exceeding reasonable “support fees” or “gratitude payments.” Conversely, if no profit motive exists and the transfer is motivated by genuine hardship, with only modest compensation paid, it remains lawful placement. Article 261 of the Criminal Law further stipulates: “Any person who, being obliged to care for an elderly, young, sick, or otherwise dependent individual, refuses to do so under egregious circumstances shall be sentenced to not more than five years of fixed-term imprisonment, criminal detention, or public surveillance.” Under Article 1094 of the Civil Code, only three parties may legally place a child for adoption: guardians of orphans, child welfare institutions, and biological parents unable to care for their child. Finally, Article 1105 mandates that adoption must be registered with a civil affairs bureau at or above the county level; the adoption relationship becomes effective only upon such registration.

全国人大 (1997). 刑法（第二百四十、二百六十一条）. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/201802/t20180206_364975.shtml；最高人民法院、最高人民检察院、公安部、司法部 (2010). 关于依法惩治拐卖妇女儿童犯罪的意见（法发〔2010〕7 号，第 17 条）. 最高人民法院官网 https://www.court.gov.cn/fabu/xiangqing/977.html；全国人大 (2020). 民法典（第一千零九十四、一千一百零五条）. 盐城市人民政府转载收养编全文 https://xxgk.yczf.gov.cn/xzf/ycmzj/fdzdgknr/fgwj_41995/202112/t20211203_1506640.shtml

This section does not address whether or not to have children; it solely outlines the legal pathway following childbirth. The recommended sequence is as follows: first, give birth in a hospital; prenatal care and delivery details are covered in Section 27. The birth certificate is a prerequisite for all subsequent procedures. Second, if placement is desired, contact the civil affairs bureau directly — never use intermediaries. Any transfer of money may alter the legal characterization of the act. Should suicidal thoughts or intentions to harm the child arise within the first year postpartum, immediate emergency care is required. A list of hospitals to visit during pregnancy and after delivery appears in Section 27, item 7. The 42‑day postpartum checkup also serves as a screening for postpartum depression (Section 27, item 16). In case of suicidal ideation, call 12356 (Section 1, item 25). No concrete case examples are provided here; official case studies involving trafficking of one’s own children were not individually verified for this edition, so only statutory provisions and excerpts from relevant opinions are cited.