Childbirth and more...

On October 22, the Vietnam Women's Union (VWU) organized a workshop to share experiences and propose solutions to overcome the low birth rate - a major challenge in population work and sustainable development today.

Previously, the Department of Population ( Ministry of Health ) listened to comments on the project to amend and supplement the program to adjust birth rates to suit regions and subjects. The draft Law on Population will be submitted to the National Assembly in the 10th session. If passed, it will replace the 2003 Population Ordinance. After many decades, the story of population is once again hot in the parliament with many concerns for the development of the country.

In 2024, Vietnam's fertility rate will reach 1.91 children per woman, among the five lowest in Southeast Asia. It is forecasted that in 2025, this number will decrease to 1.87. In Ho Chi Minh City, the average number of children per woman of childbearing age is 1.43 - the lowest in the country. Although it is in the golden population structure period, Ho Chi Minh City also faces the challenge of a rapidly aging population with more than 1.4 million elderly people. The young city may not be young anymore if the population "picture" is not improved in time: fewer and fewer children, more and more elderly people.

According to MSc. Ho Manh Tuong, General Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, fertility decline is an inevitable trend of a developed society. Many countries have abundant financial resources, but still fail in their efforts to reverse this trend. Of course, Vietnam cannot be an exception to the rule, but one advantage is that we are in the early stages of fertility decline.

Therefore, Master-Doctor Ho Manh Tuong believes that the most important goal is to slow down the rate of birth decline right now. The solution is to invest in solving the problem as soon as possible in “birth decline hotspots” such as Ho Chi Minh City, then apply it in other localities - which cannot escape the general trend.

In Ho Chi Minh City, recently, 17,000 women have been supported with 3-5 million VND/person according to Resolution No. 40/2024/NQ-HDND and Resolution No. 32/2025/NQ-HDND (Regulations on reward and support policies for collectives and individuals who perform well in population work in the area) for giving birth to 2 children before the age of 35.

It is not just about diaper money, but also about encouragement for wives and mothers after the pressures of family and society. However, many opinions suggest that it is necessary to continue to add practical preferential policies for this group of people, such as adding points when considering emulation, raising salary or priority in buying housing.

Specific benefits will create clear motivation, encouraging women to accept motherhood, instead of imposing on them a social responsibility, like a stereotype like: "Modern women are lazy to get married, lazy to have children!". Because they cannot fully decide the overall population picture. Behind that cold word "lazy", are obvious life needs: work, income, housing, child-rearing conditions...

In the general strategy of comprehensive health care for the people, Ho Chi Minh City is pioneering in implementing many population solutions. In 168 communes, wards and special zones, activities such as periodic health check-ups for children under 24 months, prenatal screening, pre-marital health check-ups, and periodic check-ups for the elderly are widely covered, bringing peace of mind and trust to the people. In addition, major policies such as: free tuition, moving towards free basic hospital fees are gradually reducing the financial burden on the people, for the goal of fairness and humanity.

Nowadays, the slogan that has been ingrained in the subconscious of many generations: "Each family only has 1 to 2 children" has officially faded into the past, replaced by a reversal policy that gives couples the right to decide on the number of children.

However, it is no longer a matter of “God created elephants and gave them grass”, the young generation of citizens need a commitment to modern social security, health and education policies, to dare to get married, to dare to buy a house, to dare to have children. That is also the basis for ensuring sustainable population growth, contributing to the long-term development of the country.

MINH KHUÊ

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/chuyen-sinh-con-va-hon-the-nua-post819418.html