Wang Yin, deputy to the National People's Congress and deputy director-general of Yunnan Dali Health Bureau suggested encouraging pre-marriage health checks during the ongoing Two Sessions, the Xinhuanet reported.

She said following the cancellation of compulsive pre-marriage check-ups in 2003, less people took health checks before getting married and the congenital defect rate of new born babies is on the rise.

According to health departments, 90.78 out of per 10,000 babies in Beijing were born with congenital defects in 1997 and the number increased to 170.82 in 2008. The congenital defect rate of new born babies have witnessed a big increase since 2003, when the new regulation on marriage registration began to allow couples to choose whether or not to have physical exams before they get married.

Wang said as it was unlikely to have the compulsive pre-marriage check-ups back in the near future, but the government should promote pre-marriage check-ups, taking measures like providing free examinations.