"Working tirelessly all day to obtain a modest income of VND50 million per month, we can’t even afford an apartment to live. How could we possibly have more kids?" commented reader A.T. about an article about Vietnam’s sharp decline in birth rates.

Many argue that concerns over housing, along with the costs of education, healthcare, and daily living, create a heavy burden that discourages young couples from having children, no matter how strong their desire for a large family may be.

Because of the continued escalation in real estate prices in recent years, seeking to purchase a VND3 billion apartment, which was not difficult three years ago, has become nearly impossible.

This has made it challenging for young couples to access housing and realize their dream of "settling down and thriving." According to reader X.H.N., this is one of the reasons behind the birth rate decline, particularly in urban areas.

Meanwhile, reader T.V.N. complained that funding children’s studies alone costs her a lot of money, about VND6-7 million each. Room rents have also increased. So, it is common that young couples cannot buy homes.

Many readers contend that financial pressure is becoming worse for young people, exterminating their wish to have a large family.

Dr Pham Vu Hoang, Deputy Director of the Population Department under the Ministry of Health (MOH), said that urbanization, economic development, and the pressures of finding jobs, housing, and managing living costs, as well as the rising costs of raising and caring for children have discouraged people from having more children.

He also cited poor infrastructure conditions and services.

Associate Professor Nguyen Duc Vinh, Director of the Institute of Sociology, has presented the results of a 2023 survey on 1,200 women in four southern provinces and cities with low birth rates—Khanh Hoa, HCM City, Soc Trang, and Ca Mau—revealing that 30 percent of respondents did not want more children due to "not having enough money to raise them well."

Prof Giang Thanh Long, a senior lecturer at the School of Economics and Public Management under the National Economics University (Hanoi), said Vietnamese want to have many children because they believe that large families can better share burdens and difficulties, and better take care of family members.

However, pressure at work and in society, plus the increasingly high real estate prices, make them shrink. Many couples decide not to have children, or just have one child.

Long said that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to big changes in the economy and labor markets, both domestically and globally, exacerbating difficulties and uncertainties for young families, particularly migrant workers.

When deciding whether to have children, couples, and individuals have to find answers to long-term questions: How will pregnancy care be managed? Where will the child be born? How will a newborn be cared for to ensure health and nutrition? And later, how will schooling and educational investments be addressed?

"As the saying goes, ‘Only with sustenance can virtue be upheld,’" the expert said.

If every couple could access affordable housing—whether through social housing or reasonably priced rentals—secure stable employment, and live in a safe environment with access to childcare, schools, and other services, "the decision to have children would undoubtedly be easier."

In general, the financial capability, social, and health foundations (both physical and mental) of couples and individuals are critical in determining whether to have children. 

Encouraging childbirth won’t succeed just by urging or calling for more births. Instead, it requires indirect measures such as improving living conditions, enhancing the quality of healthcare and education services, and creating long-term development opportunities throughout a person’s life.

Statistics show that the "wealthiest" people have the fewest children. The average birth rate of this group is 2 children, while it is 2.4 for the group of the poorest. Those with "wealthy" and "average" living standards have birth rates ranging from 2.03 to 2.07 children.

Individuals with education levels below primary school have an average of 2.35 children, while those with education beyond high school average 1.98 children.

MOH has warned that with the birth rate continuing to decline, 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.

Phuong Thuy