HCMC – Facing a sharp decline in its birth rate, authorities in Ho Chi Minh City are drafting a new resolution to subsidize premarital health check-ups for couples registering their marriages, aiming to reverse the trend.
The city’s urban fertility rate has steadily fallen over the past two decades, reaching 1.67 children per woman in 2024, down from 1.7 in 2023.
Pham Chanh Trung, director of the Population and Family Planning Division, highlighted the challenges posed by the decline, including an aging population, labor shortages, and potential long-term economic and social repercussions.
In December, the city’s People’s Council approved Resolution No. 40/2024/NQ-HDND, which introduces financial incentives to encourage childbirth. Women who have two children before the age of 35 will receive VND3 million, while low-income families and residents in remote areas will be eligible for VND2 million to cover prenatal and neonatal health screenings.
Additional initiatives include free premarital health check-ups and full subsidies for prenatal and neonatal screenings. Authorities are also exploring expanded social welfare programs, housing support, and tax benefits to create a more family-friendly environment for young couples.
