Under a draft circular providing guidance on parts of the National Target Program on Healthcare, Population and Development for 2026-2035, with its first phase running from 2026 to 2030, the Ministry of Health has proposed organizing premarital courses nationwide for young people preparing to marry.

Notably, in addition to marriage and family life, reproductive and sexual health, pregnancy and childbirth, the proposed program would provide couples with knowledge and skills in household spending and financial management before marriage.

The activities are also intended to encourage young men and women to marry before the age of 30.

Vietnam’s average age at first marriage has risen significantly in recent years. In 1999, the average age at first marriage among young Vietnamese people was 24.1. Twenty years later, it had risen to 25.2, meaning the average age increased by just 1.1 years over two decades.

In only five years from 2019 to 2024, however, the increase reached 2.1 years, with the average age at first marriage climbing from 25.2 to 27.3.

In many localities, particularly major urban centers and provinces in the Southeast and Mekong Delta regions, men are postponing marriage until after the age of 30, while in many places women are also waiting until around 28 or 29 to start a family.

Under the draft, the Ministry of Health would develop and standardize training materials and provide training for provincial-level instructors and speakers. Local authorities would then train commune-level officials to deliver the premarital courses.

Each year, provinces and cities are expected to select around 20% of their communes, wards and special zones to hold at least one conference, training course or thematic session providing young people preparing for marriage with knowledge and skills related to marriage, reproductive health, pregnancy, childbirth and household financial management.

Following the training, population and healthcare workers would coordinate with mass organizations to provide communication and counseling activities for young people and newly married couples in their communities.

The draft also proposes workshops, discussions and exchange activities designed to equip young people with skills for building happy families while encouraging men and women to marry before the age of 30.

Infertility risk screening pilot proposed in industrial areas

The draft circular also proposes nationwide communication, counseling, training, medical examinations and screening activities aimed at preventing infertility.

A pilot program to screen for infertility risks among couples who have been married for more than 12 months without having children would be carried out in communes with industrial parks across 10 provinces and cities with low fertility rates: Hanoi, Khanh Hoa, Dong Nai, An Giang, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Ca Mau, Can Tho, Tay Ninh and Ho Chi Minh City.

Under the proposal, local authorities would conduct communication campaigns on infertility risk factors and the importance of regular reproductive health examinations.

Young people would receive counseling on factors that may increase the risk of infertility, while couples participating in the pilot would receive support for medical examinations, laboratory tests and ultrasound screening for certain infertility risks in accordance with relevant guidance.

The program also proposes community-based campaigns providing information, counseling and preventive infertility screening.

Each year, provinces and cities are expected to select around 10% of their communes, wards and special zones for campaigns raising awareness of infertility risk factors, providing counseling on regular reproductive health check-ups and conducting rapid tests for Chlamydia trachomatis among at-risk individuals in accordance with guidance.

Vo Thu