Vietnam drops two-child policy amid demographic concerns

Vietnam has decided to end its long-standing two-child policy as declining birth rates and aging population raise concerns about economic and social impacts. The National Assembly recently removed a clause in the country’s population ordinance, allowing couples to have more than two children unless in approved special cases. Vietnam's fertility rate of 1.91 per woman is below the replacement level of 2.1, with cities like Ho Chi Minh City even lower at 1.39. Despite efforts to boost births through incentives and education on family planning, enforcement isn’t strict, but officials aim to shift societal attitudes toward smaller families rather than coercion.