The prevalence of barriers to rearing children aged 0–3 years following China’s new three-child policy: a national cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: To further optimize birth policy, China implemented a new three-child policy to allow per couple to have up to three children on May 31, 2021. METHODS: A national cross-sectional survey was conducted among 18 to 49-year-old Chinese parents who had at least one child in June 2021. We calculated the prevalence of self-reported childrearing barriers and used univariate logistic regression and multivariate logistic regression to analyze associated factors. RESULTS: 94.7% of the respondents self-reported barriers to rearing children aged 0–3 years, and the biggest barrier included high time cost (39.3%), high parenting cost (36.5%) and high education cost (13.5%). Women (aOR 1.49, 95%CI 1.13,1.96) and people with college degree or above (aOR 3.46, 95%CI 2.08, 5.75) were associated with higher prevalence of childrearing barriers, and people who intended to have a second child (aOR 0.58, 95%CI 0.40, 0.83) and people who intended to have a third child (aOR 0.51,95%CI 0.37, 0.71) were less likely to report childrearing barriers. The biggest barrier was more likely to be high time cost for parents one of whom is only child (aOR1.21, 95%CI 1.03, 1.42) and physical factors for parents both of whom are only child (aOR 1.56,95%CI 1.08, 2.26). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of barriers to rearing children aged 0–3 years was high among Chinese people of childbearing age who had children. Full consideration should be given to the barriers of people with different sociodemographic characteristics and people with fertility intention, thus making targeted childrearing policies and supporting measures to reduce the burden on people of childbearing age, encourage suitable couples to have a second or third child and then cope with China’s aging population. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-12880-z.