According to Ministry of Health data, Vietnam’s sex ratio at birth was already skewed in 2006 at 109.8 boys per 100 girls - above the natural balance of 103–107. This increased to 112.8 in 2015 and stood at 111.4 in 2024.

“If no strong interventions are taken, Vietnam will face a surplus of 1.5 million men aged 15–49 by 2039, rising to 2.5 million by 2059,” the General Statistics Office forecasted. This imbalance could disrupt family structures, with many men forced to marry late or remain single.

The Ministry of Health warns that choosing the sex of a fetus and manipulating childbirth through medical interventions is one of the key causes of gender imbalance at birth.

While Vietnam strictly prohibits gender selection in all forms, and existing laws include administrative penalties, the current maximum fine of VND 30 million (approx. USD 1,200) for individuals is deemed “insufficiently deterrent,” according to a policy impact report accompanying the draft Population Law now under public consultation.

The Ministry's review of the Population Ordinance enforcement cited reports from several provinces revealing that “some healthcare staff still covertly reveal fetal gender.”

In reality, many practitioners - especially at private clinics - use various indirect methods to communicate the fetus’s sex, including coded symbols and euphemisms such as “takes after the father” or “similar to the first child.”

In the draft Population Law, the Ministry proposes not only continuing the ban on prenatal gender selection but also publishing, on a regular basis, the list of provinces and cities with very high, high, and naturally balanced sex ratios at birth.

Significantly, the Ministry suggests amending the Law on Administrative Violations to raise the maximum fine for individuals in the population management sector to VND 100 million (approx. USD 4,000).

“This is intended to strictly enforce the law and compel individuals and organizations to think carefully before committing violations,” the Ministry explained.

Vo Thu