#trending: Pregnant mum in China says husband is divorcing her over suspicions that fifth child will be another daughter

ZHEJIANG, CHINA — A pregnant woman in China has alleged that her husband is seeking a divorce because he believes that their fifth child is going to be another girl. The couple has four daughters.

The 25-year-old woman, surnamed Hu, revealed her story in a video that has gone viral, getting more than 10 million views on Chinese social media platforms Weibo and Douyin, and sparking an uproar among its users. 

Speaking to media outlet Jiupai News, Hu said that her husband moved out of their apartment three months ago and has refused to pay rent ever since. The man also told her that they should divorce "as soon as possible".

"My husband said he wanted to divorce me because he thought the shape of my belly suggests it is a daughter again," Hu, who is eight months pregnant, said.

"He said he was afraid of the result as he is the only male child from his big family. He said if I can’t deliver him a baby boy, he will find another woman to have a son with."

Hu did not reveal her husband's identity.

The couple reportedly met in 2013 through work and got married after a brief courtship. Hu became pregnant with their first daughter just three months later at the age of 17.

"His family is not well-to-do, there was no dowry or wedding gifts. I'm not the materialistic sort anyway, so I thought as long as he's nice to me, even if he has nothing, we can make a living together after marriage," she said.

Hu revealed that her family and relatives tried to persuade her not to marry him, but she did not heed their advice.

The couple then moved from their rural hometown to the city of Linhai in Zhejiang province, eastern China, where Hu works in a spectacles workshop.

"Later on, I realised he has a very bad temper. I considered leaving before and had thoughts of aborting my first child. But I just don't have the strength in my character to do so. Step by step, this has led me to where I am today. Maybe I deserve it."

Hu admitted that her fourth and fifth child that she is now expecting were "accidents".

The woman also said that she has agreed to the divorce.

"My daughters and I won’t have to bear abuse from him if we get divorced," Hu said, alleging that her husband often physically abuses her and had an affair while she was expecting their second child.

Hu said that all their children will continue living with her after the divorce and that her husband agreed to provide 1,000 yuan (S$192) a month in child support.

"He still has a conscience after all. I thought he would not give a single cent to his daughters," she said, adding that she would have to work hard and live frugally to pay for her children’s tuition fees.

The couple plan to return to their hometown in Guizhou to register their divorce at the end of the year.

Although Chinese internet users generally sympathised with Hu and expressed outrage over her husband’s alleged treatment of her, some blamed her for being "useless" and questioned why she did not choose to leave him earlier.

A top comment on Weibo read: ​​"Are we living in the middle ages? Why are we still gender-biased? He is an ancient person living in 2022."

One other person wrote: "The sex of a baby is determined by the father. Why is he blaming the woman?"

Another remarked: "I am wondering why this woman is willing to have babies with such a guy?"

Some online users advised Hu to demand for more alimony from her husband: "A thousand yuan is not even enough for my own expenses, (she has) four children and is currently pregnant."

A women's rights organisation in China is said to have offered to assist Hu and was investigating her allegations of domestic violence, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported.