Vietnam has officially scrapped its decades-old two-child limit to combat falling birth rates and address the growing challenges of an ageing population.
The country banned couples from having more than two children in 1988. The National Assembly passed amendments scrapping the rule, and the family size now depends on each couple’s decision.
Vietnamese families are having fewer children than ever before, with the total fertility rate dropping to just 1.91 children per woman in 2024, below replacement level, the Ministry of Health said.
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Vietnam’s ‘golden population’ era, when workers outnumber dependents, began in 2007 and is set to end by 2039. The labour force is expected to peak by 2042, and the population is projected to start shrinking by 2054. The government hopes that removing the limit will encourage larger families and stabilise future demographic trends.
Birth rates have fallen from 2.11 children per woman in 2021 to 2.01 in 2022 and 1.96 in 2023. The drop is most evident in urban, economically advanced areas such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where the rising cost of living has made starting or expanding families more challenging.
The country also faces a gender imbalance, with the current birth ratio standing at 112 boys for every 100 girls. The government has proposed tripling the current fine to $3,800 “to curb foetal gender selection,” according to state media.
Vietnam isn’t the only Asian country with low fertility. But, unlike Japan, South Korea or Singapore, it’s still a developing economy.
