This financial incentive is part of a draft decree by the Ministry of Health, which details the implementation of the Population Law. The draft, open for feedback on 16/3 and expected to be submitted to the Government before 30/4, allows provincial-level local authorities to set higher support levels based on their state budget capacity and within their jurisdiction.
Some localities already offer higher support for women giving birth to two children than the Ministry of Health's proposed amount. For instance, Ho Chi Minh City currently provides 3 million dong to women who have two children before age 35. The city plans to increase this support to 5 million dong, given its status as having the lowest fertility rate nationwide.
Other provinces also implement similar policies with varying financial provisions.
The draft decree suggests a one-time payment of two million dong per birth for women from very small ethnic minority groups or those residing in provinces or cities with a fertility rate below the replacement level (under 2,1 children per woman). For example, a woman in these policy areas who gives birth two times would receive 4 million dong, and three times would receive 6 million dong.
If a woman qualifies for multiple financial support groups simultaneously, she will receive all corresponding benefits when giving birth. For instance, an ethnic minority woman from a very small group living in a province or city with a sub-replacement fertility rate would receive 4 million dong per birth.
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A baby born at Tu Du Hospital. Photo: Le Phuong |
Pregnant women participating in prenatal fetal screening will receive 900,000 dong per instance, and 600,000 dong for one newborn screening. For the birth of a second child, female workers are entitled to seven months of maternity leave, while male workers receive 10 working days of paternity leave.
The Ministry of Health conducted impact assessments and consulted with relevant agencies during the development of the Population Law. These support policies aim to encourage childbirth and maintain the replacement fertility rate.
The national fertility rate is steadily declining below the replacement level, dropping from 2,11 children per woman in 2021 to 1,91 in 2024, with a projected 1,93 in 2025. Projections indicate that with such a low birth rate, Vietnam may struggle to achieve its goal of maintaining the national replacement fertility rate by 2030.
According to the Ministry of Health, in a worst-case scenario where the fertility rate continues to fall, Vietnam’s demographic dividend period will end by 2036. Projections further indicate that the working-age population will begin to decline in 2044, with negative population growth starting in 2051. By the end of the forecast period, specifically 2069-2074, Vietnam’s population is expected to decrease by an average of 461,000 people per year.
In 12/2025, the National Assembly approved the Population Law, which outlines four major goals: maintaining the replacement fertility rate, reducing birth sex imbalance, adapting to population aging, and improving population quality. The draft decree aims to fully and promptly concretize the contents of the Population Law, ensuring consistency and synchronization within the legal system.
Le Nga
