Vietnam Ends Birth Control Policy Amid Alarming Drop in Birth Rates

Vietnam’s communist government announced on Wednesday the end of its longstanding birth control policy, which had limited families to a maximum of two children.

The move aims to counter the country’s steadily declining birth rate, which is beginning to impact its economic and social development.

Since 1988, Vietnam had maintained an official policy discouraging couples from having more than two children, as part of efforts to control population growth. However, with economic development and social changes over time, the birth rate has fallen consistently, raising concerns about population aging and future labor shortages.

According to the Vietnam News Agency, family size will now be a personal decision left to each couple.

The change was confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, who stated that the previous policies no longer align with the country’s current needs and emphasized the importance of promoting individuals’ right to choose how many children they want to have.

With this move, Vietnam joins a growing list of Asian countries including China, South Korea, and Japan that are facing the challenge of aging populations and are working to reverse negative demographic trends by relaxing or removing family planning restrictions.

Vietnamese authorities now plan to launch awareness campaigns and provide economic support to encourage childbirth, particularly in regions where birth rates have dropped below the replacement level.