HANOI — Vietnam has officially lifted its decades-old two-child policy, granting families full autonomy over their reproductive choices, as the country faces a declining birth rate and accelerating population ageing — challenges that could hinder future economic growth.
The change was approved by the National Assembly Standing Committee on June 3, according to the Vietnam News Agency. The new regulation allows individuals and couples to freely decide the number of children they wish to have, as well as the timing and spacing of births.
The previous policy, introduced in 1988, encouraged families to limit childbearing to one or two children. Although loosely enforced among the general public, members of the Communist Party of Vietnam faced formal sanctions for noncompliance, including warnings, loss of bonuses, or removal from official positions.
The original policy was implemented during a period when Vietnam’s total fertility rate exceeded four children per woman. However, demographic trends have since shifted dramatically. In December 2023, the country’s fertility rate fell to 1.91, marking the third consecutive year below the replacement level of 2.1.
In response to growing demographic concerns, the Ministry of Health in 2024 proposed changes to allow all citizens — including single parents — the right to determine the number and timing of their children.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has warned that Vietnam is undergoing a period of rapid population ageing. It noted that the country will transition from an “ageing” to an “aged” population within just two decades, significantly faster than in many other countries.
Demographers and economists have expressed concern that the shrinking workforce and rising elderly population could place pressure on Vietnam’s social security systems, healthcare infrastructure, and long-term economic development.
Vietnam joins a growing number of countries in East Asia — including China, South Korea, and Japan — where governments are reassessing family planning policies in response to falling fertility and ageing populations.
