• Vietnam has officially ended its two-child policy to combat declining birth rates.
• The fertility rate decreased to a historic low of 1.91 children per woman in 2024.
• Couples are now free to decide on family size without restrictions from the government.
• Urban areas are witnessing a more pronounced decline in birth rates due to rising living costs.
• The country is also addressing gender imbalances in birth rates.

Vietnam has officially abolished its long-standing two-child policy, allowing couples the freedom to decide the number of children they wish to have. This shift is a response to the country’s continuous decline in birth rates, which have fallen to a record low of 1.91 children per woman in 2024, below the replacement level of 2.1. The change was made official through amendments to the Population Law, as reported by state media on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, according to SCMP, Channel News Asia, and AA.

The policy, which had originally been enacted in 1988 to control population growth, allowed families to have only one or two children and was more strictly enforced for Communist Party members. However, the enforcement was lax for regular citizens. The abolition of this policy reflects a significant shift in governmental approach amid growing concerns regarding an aging population and a shrinking workforce, threatening Vietnam’s economic and social stability in the long run, according to India Times, NPR, and Al Jazeera.

The trend of declining birth rates has been notably impactful in urban areas such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, influenced heavily by the escalating cost of living. Many young adults, like 22-year-old Tran Minh Huong, express apprehension about the financial implications of child-rearing, stating, “It’s too costly to raise a child.” The government recognizes this challenge, with Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Lien Huong highlighting the need to transition societal views on childrearing to address broader population concerns, according to Channel News Asia and India Times.

In tandem with tackling the declining birth rate, Vietnam has also faced challenges with an imbalanced gender ratio, traditionally skewed due to a preference for male children. The Ministry of Health is proposing to triple fines for prenatal gender selection to combat this issue. The noticeable disparity in birth sex ratios, which reached 112 boys for every 100 girls, poses serious social ramifications, as mentioned by SCMP, NPR, and Al Jazeera.