Vietnam Ends Two-Child Policy Amid Declining Birth Rates
Vietnam has abolished its two-child policy, allowing families to choose their number of children freely, in response to a record low fertility rate.
Overview
Vietnam's National Assembly has amended the Population Law, allowing families to choose the number of children without restrictions.
The decision comes as Vietnam's fertility rate hits a record low of 1.91 children per woman in 2024, below the replacement level.
Local officials are incentivizing childbirth with offers of $120 for women who have two children before age 35.
The two-child policy, implemented in 1988, was aimed at controlling population growth but is now seen as outdated.
Vietnam is also addressing gender imbalance issues by prohibiting sex-selective abortions and disclosing a baby's sex before birth.