( CNN ) -- The number of China 's so-called `` baby hatches '' -- places where mothers can leave newborn babies anonymously -- is set to increase as the government tries to protect more of the country 's abandoned infants . The hatches , which were first introduced in Shijiazhuang , the capital of China 's northeastern Hebei province in 2011 , consist of a temperature-controlled room equipped with a baby 's cradle and an incubator . Once dropped off anonymously , an alarm is sounded and a welfare worker attends to the child minutes later . There are currently 25 baby hatches in 10 provinces across China , and the China Center for Children 's Welfare and Adoption ( CCCWA ) told state media agency Xinhua that more will be set up , in a further 18 regions . A Mr. Zhou from the Beijing Civil Affairs Department told CNN that they plan to open a baby hatch within the year and the project is one of the department 's top priorities . Children are often given up due to disability or severe illness -- largely to parents without the necessary means to provide for their offspring -- and historically , due to the sex of the child in a country where boys are traditionally favored and strict one-child policies have put pressure on families to produce male heirs . While statistics point to a largely even split between boys and girls , almost all the infants given up at baby hatches suffer from disabilities or severe illness . Proponents of the system say that the `` baby safety islands '' , as they are officially known in China , significantly reduce the mortality rates of abandoned babies , providing a safe , warm environment with immediate care and improving on the wretched conditions that infants are often left in . According to the code of conduct released by Ministry of Civil Affairs , the facilities should issue an announcement to look for the baby 's parents . The baby will be adopted into a child welfare institution -- a state orphanage -- if it is not claimed by parents or legal guardians after the announcement has expired . The baby hatch system is not without its detractors , however . Some in the country criticize the policy , saying that it could encourage parents to give up unwanted infants . The practice is also used in various countries around the world , including in Europe . In countries like Germany `` babyklappe '' are also considered controversial -- and inhabiting a legal gray area thanks to new laws that protect children 's rights to know their mother 's identity -- but have been used relatively infrequently . Since opening in late January , a baby hatch in the southern city of Guangzhou has received almost 80 infants , according to a Xinhua report cited in the party-funded English-language People 's Daily . A China National Radio report said a baby hatch in Nanjing was `` crowded with visitors . '' The owner of a nearby convenience store told CNR that she saw parents drop babies off at the facility every day . Li Bo , head of the CCCWA , says that there is no evidence to show that baby hatches lead to an increase in child abandonment , and that the service should be viewed as a practical move . `` Laws emphasize prevention , while baby hatches focus on rescue after the laws are broken , '' he said . The original baby hatch in Shijiazhuang reported a comparable number of infants abandoned in 2009-10 to that recorded since the service was established in June 2011 . `` I do n't think the baby hatches would encourage people to abandon their babies , '' population expert at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Fuxian Yi said . `` Nanjing is an individual case . The story has been exaggerated . Its impact is waiting to be seen , it 's too soon to judge . '' The efficacy of the baby hatches aside , the number of abandoned infants in China does , for some critics , point to deficiencies in China 's welfare system , especially for children born with illnesses or disabilities . A comprehensive system that goes far beyond the immediate care offered by baby hatches should be a priority , according to Tong Lihua , who runs a Beijing legal aid and study center for adolescents . `` We need a comprehensive system to better protect them , '' he is quoted as saying . CCCWA 's Li says a medical insurance system , reinforcing other support mechanisms , should be implemented . Recent moves to relax China 's strict one-child policy may also positively affect abandonment numbers in the country . The program is attracting debate on Chinese social media as well . `` It 's good for the babies , but the most important issue now is where would they go when they grow up , '' said one Sina Weibo user . `` Is it a sign to legal [ ize ] abandoning babies ? '' asked another . CNN 's Dayu Zhang contributed to this report .
China 's `` baby hatches '' provide a safe environment for people to anonymously abandon infants . Supporters say the program significantly improves mortality rates of abandoned infants . Some critics see hatches as band-aid to overall problems with China 's welfare laws .