Chinese couples are least likely to conceive this year as their lunar calendar rings in the Year of the Sheep on Wednesay, February 4.

The decision to avoid a 2015 birth stems from old eastern beliefs that babies born under the Year of the Sheep will live unhappy and miserable lives, often ending up as followers instead of leaders.

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According to Chinese superstition, sheep are largely raised for slaughter and many Chinese believe that giving birth under the 'doomed' zodiac sign will be disastrous to the child and to the parents.

Reports say couples are planning to wait well into the year to plan their families intentionally, just to avoid bringing a child under the year of the sheep, which officially starts February 4 this year and ends on February 4, 2016.

The Chinese New Year celebrations, on the other hand, will be held February 19 to coincide with the new moon of the current month, the way it is traditionally done.

Many pregnant women were reportedly rushing to give birth before the start of the dreaded lunar new year as seen in the high incidence of caesarean section deliveries in hospitals.

Health officials were worried about an increase in abortion cases at the start of 2015, even though fertility rates have gone up last year.

Officials were likewise worried that the superstitious belief may lead to a low birth rate for China at a time when the country needs more babies.

The Chinese government has relaxed its one-child policy last year by allowing couples to have another child if one of the parents is an only child.

China's goal of having two million babies a year seemed far-fetched as only less than one million couples applied for permission to have another child.

Couples enumerated several reasons for not applying for a second child and one of them is their belief in superstitions like  bringing a baby under the year of the sheep.

Nanjing Professor David Goodman, author of the book "Class in Contemporary China", said there is no iota of truth that the sheep year will have a negative impact on the birth rate of China.

Goodman said the Chinese are practical and logical people that although they know about superstitions, it wouldn't matter at all, especially when couples know that they can send their children to good school and live a comparatively good life.

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