Vietnam has ended its longstanding two-child policy, which barred families from having more than two children amid declining birth rates.

On Tuesday, Vietnam’s national assembly abolished the policy, which had been in place for decades since 1988.

The abolition of the policy, which now allows couples to have as many children as they want, is to tackle the low birthrate and ageing population.

Dao Hong Lan, Vietnam’s health minister, according to the Hanoi Times, said the birth control policy was reversed to tackle the declining population, among other issues that threaten the country’s economic, social, and national security sustainability.

“This reform aims to tackle growing disparities in birth rates across regions and social groups and to prevent population decline below the replacement level, a trend that threatens Vietnam’s sustainable economic and social development, as well as its national security and defence in the long term,” said Mr Lan.

Additionally, the country’s health ministry has expressed concern over gender-based sex selection as the growing preference for male children persists.

Performing sex-selective abortions or choices are statutory violations, and the country’s health ministry is proposing to raise a maximum fine worth 100 million Vietnamese dong ($3,800).

Vietnam’s population experienced a low birthrate of 1.91 children per cent per woman in 2024, a drop from 2.1 children per cent per woman in the previous years.