A male midwife in eastern China has won praise for his professionalism and striking looks while defying relatives who dismissed his career choice as embarrassing.

Zhang Jintao, 25, from Yiwu in Zhejiang province, became a midwife at a leading provincial hospital after graduating from university.

According to Southern Daily, men accounted for just three per cent of China’s nurses in 2021, the number of male midwives was even fewer.

Zhang told the mainland medical outlet Yixuejie that some older male relatives had criticised his choice of career, calling it “shameful” and “embarrassing.”

But he said witnessing childbirth left him deeply moved by women’s strength and convinced him his work was meaningful.

His greatest challenge was earning the trust of expectant mothers and their families. Due to traditional attitudes towards privacy, some women refuse care from male midwives.

Zhang said respecting patients’ wishes was fundamental. Despite once considering quitting the job, he ultimately chose to stay.