The obstetric outpatient departments are swarming with expectant mothers across the city's hospitals recently. Statistics from the city's Maternity Healthcare Centre, the city's major birth delivery place, indicate the coming August will see a spike in the number of new born babies with more than a thousand babies to be born.

     According to the staff of the obstetrics department in Suzhou Maternity Healthcare Centre, July and August are always the peak times for birth, but this year there will be more than normal. There are about 450 ladies everyday coming for their checkups in recent weeks, most of whom are close to delivery. It's estimated this August will see the year's peak in birthrate.

     Many couples choose to have their babies delivered this year or this particular month because of the Olympics. Since it's the first time for China to host the Olympics, people hope to hold the memory with a very special souvenir.

     "This year is so special for China since the Olympics finally arrive after all of this year's catastrophes. It's even more memorable for us because my wife and I are going to have our first baby. I hope everything goes well for him/ her, and I have the same hope for our country," said a young gentleman who accompanies his wife to the hospital. As a result, the labor wards have all been occupied in the Maternity Healthcare Centre. The hospital's management staff said