Babies bloom in propitious years of the Chinese zodiac

Some obstetric medical workers in Beijing said they have seen an obvious increase of workload this year, and they partly attribute it to the traditional Chinese zodiac.

Zhai Guirong, a gynecologist working at a private hospital, said the hospital's obstetrics ward is booked and can't accommodate any more women who are expected to give birth before December.

"The Chinese zodiac has a great influence on the workload," she said.