China has taken the unusual step of suspending three officials who forced a woman to undergo an abortion.

The Chinese government has even apologized to Feng Jianmei, 23, who was beaten and forced to abort the baby at seven months on June 2.

Officials made the move after learning her family could not afford the $6,300 fine for having a second child.

The incident sparked an uproar in China after graphic photos of the mother and her dead baby went viral. 

The photos show Feng on a hospital bed with the blood-covered baby, reportedly aborted by a chemical injection.

One commentary on China's official website called the forced abortion "society's shame."

China legalized abortion in the 1950s. It became common when the government began enforcing a one-child limit to stem population growth.

Abortions climbed to 8.7 million in 1981, a year after the one-child policy was launched.