Each couple can decide for themselves the number of children and the time of giving birth.

On June 3, 2025, at the 46th Session, the National Assembly Standing Committee passed the Ordinance amending Article 10 of the Population Ordinance No. 06/2003/PL-UBTVQH11, which was amended and supplemented by Ordinance No. 08/2008/PL-UBTVQH12. The Ordinance takes effect from June 3, 2025.

Accordingly, amend Clause 1, Article 1, Population Ordinance No. 08/2008/PL-UBTVQH12 to amend Article 10 of the 2003 Population Ordinance: "Decision on time and spacing of births" to "Decision on time of birth, number of children and spacing between births appropriate to age, health status...".

According to the report of Ministry of Health , from 2006 to 2021, Vietnam is in the golden population period, creating great advantages for the socio-economic development process; population distribution is more reasonable; population quality, human development index (HDI) of our country are constantly increasing; average life expectancy of Vietnamese people is increasingly improved. The above results are an important premise for shifting population policy from family planning to population and development.

However, the current population situation in Vietnam has raised serious problems that need to be promptly resolved: The national fertility rate is trending downward below the replacement level, from 2.11 children/woman (2021) to 2.01 children/woman (2022), 1.96 children/woman (2023) and 1.91 children/woman (2024), the lowest in history and is forecast to continue to decline in the following years. According to forecasts, the fertility rate continues to decrease, by 2039, Vietnam will end its golden population period; in 2042, the working-age population will peak and after 2054, the population will begin to grow negatively. At that time, the consequences of a prolonged low birth rate will lead to a shortage of labor force, a decline in population size, accelerated population aging, and negative impacts on socio -economic development. Over the past two decades, the birth rate in urban areas has fallen below the replacement level, fluctuating around 1.7-1.8 children/woman; the birth rate in rural areas has always been higher than the replacement level, at 2.2-2.3 children/woman. However, in 2023, the birth rate in rural areas will fall to 2.07 children, below the replacement level, the lowest level ever.

Therefore, in order to create a legal basis to institutionalize the Party's guidelines, policies and strategies on population work, focusing on the birth rate, regulating the rights and obligations of each couple and individual in having children, ensuring human rights in implementing population policy will contribute to firmly maintaining the replacement birth rate nationwide, overcoming the significant difference in birth rates between regions and subjects.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/moi-cap-vo-chong-duoc-tu-quyet-dinh-so-con-thoi-gian-sinh-con-5050994.html