The Decline in Fertility Rate in Vietnam - Report Example

Decline in Fertility Rate in Vietnam xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lecturer xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date Introduction Vietnam has continued to register a dramatic decrease in fertility for the last decades. The cause of this sustained decline has not been well documented. Nevertheless, many observers have it that the government policies that were adopted in the earlier 1980s have a major significant on this decline. At the beginning of the century, the population in Vietnam was about 14 million. In the subsequent years, the population was seen to increase. This rapid growth of population and the past wars generated extensive regional differences in the distribution of the population. The government, therefore, laid down several strategic measures that were aimed at redistributing the population and to control fertility. While these programs were not exactly associated with economic growth, fertility has decline in the recent years. The total fertility is said to decline from 5.8 births per female in 1980 to 2.0 in 1999-2003 (OECD 2012). However, it is important to note these rates did differ from one ethnic group to another across the country. The paper will assess the social and economic effects that have led to the decline. In addition, the paper will explore whether the two-child policy has contributed to the decline in the fertility women in Vietnam and whether it has been a successful policy. Economic effects There are various economic effects that are seen to lead to the decline in fertility rate in women in Vietnam. The impact of an increase in income has continued to affect demography. This is seen through its impact on education and health. Rise in income has improved life expectancy and continue to reduce the rates of infant mortality. This in turn has led to reduced fertility rate as the couples are now able to plan for the number of children that can survive (VCPFC and ORC Macro 2002). The net flow of wealth has also played a great role in the decline in the fertility rate. In the traditional societies set up, the direction of wealth flow was from the parents to the children. The children were seen to be of great economic benefit to the parents. This is attributed to the fact that the country is an agriculture country, especially in the rural area. The children are perceived cheap laborers in their farms. Therefore, the parents perceived economic advantages by getting more children. However, the upward flow of wealth has been replaced by the downward flow, children benefiting from parents. This is attributed to the high cost of education and basic expenditure for children leading to children becoming more costly. This means that economic choice has been on the increase in the country. Consequently, reduced economic value of having more children has led to many parents opting for fewer children (UNFPA 2009). According to the Ministry of Health and General Statistics Office (2003) large government expenditure on education and health has had profound effect on the fertility rate in the country. The government has continued to invest more on sectors that have greatly affected the fertility rate. This includes a decrease in the cost of contraception. Therefore, this results to cost of regulating fertility free. In addition, the United Nations on population programs has continued to help finance the contraceptives programs. Therefore, couples are able to access modern contraceptives at a lower rate or even free. The structure of the labor markets is said to shape fertility trends. In terms of fertility decline, it is evident that decreased opportunity of cost of bearing children and the increase of the number of women in the labor market has a big role in fertility. Therefore, cases such as unemployment and less flexibility and low wages have a great economic effect on the fertility rate. In relation to this, many women are finding employment in the urban areas where they are expected to work without leave. Consequently, the age of child-bearing is increased (Sedgh et al. 2003). Social effects Social developments have continued to have significance effect on the fertility rate in Vietnam. The diffusion of new behaviors and ideas through social interactions has greatly changed people’s attitude toward issues dealing with childbearing. Once innovative behaviors and ideas have been adopted by specific individual or group, there are seen to diffuse to other people. Social interactions greatly provide various opportunities for diffusion of information at all levels. Therefore, the course of fertility is propelled by the spread of ideas and information of regulating fertility and the usage of modern contraceptives (Do M & Koenig 2007). Education is seen to play a major role in the reduction of fertility rate in Vietnam. A research conducted in 2008 indicated that there was a close relation between the birth rate and level of education among women. The data cleared demonstrated that women with high education had fewer children than women who had low level of education. Therefore, the government is said to roll out programs that will provide the required information to the low leveled educated women in order to improve family planning strategies (Amin & Teerawichitchainan 2009). Late fertility that is associated with women has been on the increased. Women are getting married at older age as they are busy pursuing their education and career. Still, the acceptance of social conditions such as, women remaining single, acceptance of small families, and increase in female literacy rate has sustainably influenced the level of fertility rate (OECD 2012). Of importance is that the government has continued to advances these social norms in the society. Indeed, the use of contraceptives as discovered earlier is linked to the decrease of fertility rate in the country. In the recent years, the Vietnam data has directly linked the use of modern contraceptives and decline in the rate of birth. More couples who are using contraceptives are recording lower fertility rate. The government received massive support from the religious leader; therefore, boosting the family planning programs (Nguyen & Dang 2002). The rise in life expectancy has greatly had a huge effect on the decline of fertility rate in the country. This is attributed to the increased health facilities. Of major concern is the result of rise in life expectancy. An increased long life implies that a couple will have to invest more on educating their education. In addition, there will be increased responsibility that will hinder having more children (Bongaarts & Westoff 2000). One or two child policy A one or two child policy was introduced in the country in the early 1960s. However, it was later scrapped in 2003, though families are still encouraged to have less families that before. It is important to note that the country is still faced with rise of babies in the recent years. This has been a major concern in the government and it has resolved to draft amendment on the previous policy. The amended policy has relaxed the policy in that couples will be permitted to get a third child. This applies only if one of the children is from a prior marriage, a child dies or if the child is handicapped (OECD 2012). The policy was formulated to encourage parents to have two children at most. It was geared to stem the rapid growth in the country population. The country family program dictates the utmost number of children, minimum difference in ages between the children, the minimum age for bearing children, contraceptive usage and prescribes corrective measures for failure on adhering to these points. The implementation of the policy is seen to be creative. Newlywed’s couple would get two tickets during their wedding. One of the tickets would specify the window in which child bearing can take place while the second ticket would confirm the measures that would be undertaken by the government against transgressors (Do M & Koenig 2007). Incentive payments are said to encourage vasectomy and sterilization. However, the policy is said to focus on disincentives including; denial of education and housing benefits, forced insertion of IUD and various forms of fines. However, the policy is said to cause gender imbalances. Many pregnant women are seen to abort if they are expecting a girl (Bongaarts J and Westoff 2000). Conclusion Indeed, Vietnam has been working to decrease the rate of population growth. The country has been experiencing an increase in population for the past years. Various economic and social effects are seen to play a major role in the recent decline of the population. Factors such as employment, increase in income, economic choice, high standards of living are example of economic effects on fertility. Social effects include introduction of contraceptives and the changing view of bearing more children. The policy that the government had implemented on the one or two child policy has had various implications in the country. The policy advocated for less than two children in the family. However, the former policy was amended in order to take care of issues that were beyond the family levels. It is important to note this policy has been recognized by the United Nations and the country has been awarded for establishing and running the policy. References Amin, S & Teerawichitchainan, B 2009, Ethnic fertility differentials in Vietnam and their proximate determinants, Poverty, Gender, and Youth Working Papers, New York: Population Council, No. 18. Bongaarts, J & Westoff,F 2000, The potential role of contraception in reducing abortion, Studies in Family Planning, 31(3):193–202 Do, M & Koenig, M 2007, Effect of family planning services on modern contraceptive method continuation in Vietnam, Journal of Biosocial Science 39(2):201–220. Ministry of Health and General Statistics Office 2003, Results from the Vietnam National Health Survey 2001–2002, Hanoi, Vietnam: Medical Publishing House Nguyen, M & Dang, N 2002, Accessibility and use of contraceptives in Vietnam, International Family Planning Perspectives, 28(4): 214–219. OECD 2012, Society at a Glance: Asia/Pacific 2011. OECD Publishing Sedgh et al. 2007, Legal abortion worldwide: incidence and recent trends, International Family Planning Perspectives, 33(3):106–116 United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Vietnam 2009, Viet Nam Population 2008, Hanoi, Vietnam: UNFPA Vietnam Vietnam Committee for Population, Family and Children (VCPFC) & ORC Macro 2002, Vietnam Demographic and Health Survey Read More

The structure of the labor markets is said to shape fertility trends. In terms of fertility decline, it is evident that decreased opportunity of cost of bearing children and the increase of the number of women in the labor market has a big role in fertility. Therefore, cases such as unemployment and less flexibility and low wages have a great economic effect on the fertility rate. In relation to this, many women are finding employment in the urban areas where they are expected to work without leave.

Consequently, the age of child-bearing is increased (Sedgh et al. 2003). Social effects Social developments have continued to have significance effect on the fertility rate in Vietnam. The diffusion of new behaviors and ideas through social interactions has greatly changed people’s attitude toward issues dealing with childbearing. Once innovative behaviors and ideas have been adopted by specific individual or group, there are seen to diffuse to other people. Social interactions greatly provide various opportunities for diffusion of information at all levels.

Therefore, the course of fertility is propelled by the spread of ideas and information of regulating fertility and the usage of modern contraceptives (Do M & Koenig 2007). Education is seen to play a major role in the reduction of fertility rate in Vietnam. A research conducted in 2008 indicated that there was a close relation between the birth rate and level of education among women. The data cleared demonstrated that women with high education had fewer children than women who had low level of education.

Therefore, the government is said to roll out programs that will provide the required information to the low leveled educated women in order to improve family planning strategies (Amin & Teerawichitchainan 2009). Late fertility that is associated with women has been on the increased. Women are getting married at older age as they are busy pursuing their education and career. Still, the acceptance of social conditions such as, women remaining single, acceptance of small families, and increase in female literacy rate has sustainably influenced the level of fertility rate (OECD 2012).

Of importance is that the government has continued to advances these social norms in the society. Indeed, the use of contraceptives as discovered earlier is linked to the decrease of fertility rate in the country. In the recent years, the Vietnam data has directly linked the use of modern contraceptives and decline in the rate of birth. More couples who are using contraceptives are recording lower fertility rate. The government received massive support from the religious leader; therefore, boosting the family planning programs (Nguyen & Dang 2002).

The rise in life expectancy has greatly had a huge effect on the decline of fertility rate in the country. This is attributed to the increased health facilities. Of major concern is the result of rise in life expectancy. An increased long life implies that a couple will have to invest more on educating their education. In addition, there will be increased responsibility that will hinder having more children (Bongaarts & Westoff 2000). One or two child policy A one or two child policy was introduced in the country in the early 1960s.

However, it was later scrapped in 2003, though families are still encouraged to have less families that before. It is important to note that the country is still faced with rise of babies in the recent years. This has been a major concern in the government and it has resolved to draft amendment on the previous policy. The amended policy has relaxed the policy in that couples will be permitted to get a third child. This applies only if one of the children is from a prior marriage, a child dies or if the child is handicapped (OECD 2012).

The policy was formulated to encourage parents to have two children at most. It was geared to stem the rapid growth in the country population. The country family program dictates the utmost number of children, minimum difference in ages between the children, the minimum age for bearing children, contraceptive usage and prescribes corrective measures for failure on adhering to these points.

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