HCMC to reward young mothers with 2 kids amid plummeting birth rates

By Le Phuong May 9, 2025 | 03:06 pm PT

A newborn's hand wrapped in soft fabric. Photo by Pexels

In a bid to reverse declining birth rates, Ho Chi Minh City is offering financial support for women aged under 35 who have given birth to a second child since December 2024.

Pham Chanh Trung, head of the city's Population Department, said eligible women would receive a one-time payment of VND3 million (US$115.55).

The initiative comes amid growing concern over the city's persistently low fertility rate, the lowest of any province or city in Vietnam for the last several years.

In 2024 its birth rate stood at just 1.39 children per woman, far below the replacement rate of two.

Experts warn that such low fertility rates could have long-term consequences, including an aging population and a shortage of labor, particularly as the city continues to urbanize rapidly.

As part of broader efforts to promote stable population growth, the city will also reward communes that successfully encourage families to have two children.

Communes where at least 60% of couples have two children will receive VND30 million, while those that sustain this rate for five consecutive years will be awarded VND60 million.

The policy aligns with guidance from the Ministry of Health, which allows local governments to use their budgets to support families with two children.

Several other provinces, including Tien Giang, Hau Giang and Ben Tre, have already begun implementing similar measures, offering women up to VND1.5 million.