Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia faces "veritable extinction" if birth rates don't increase, according to reports from April 6, 2026. In response to the demographic crisis, Russian authorities have proposed sending women who don't want children to psychologists to "promote a positive attitude toward motherhood."
The policy comes as Russia's birth rate has fallen to 1.4 children per woman, the lowest level in 200 years. Women need to average 2.1 children to maintain a stable population. The situation has been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, which has sent hundreds of thousands of young men to the front lines.
cruel and completely ineffective
Russia's health ministry approved guidelines in February 2026 recommending that healthcare workers refer women who don't want children to psychological counseling. However, the proposal has faced criticism from Russian women. A 25-year-old IT specialist named Maria called the plan "cruel and completely ineffective," stating she doesn't see herself as a mother and sees no reason why having children would make her happier.
Other women interviewed expressed similar concerns, with a 29-year-old child rehabilitation specialist citing economic reasons for not wanting children, and a 45-year-old doctor and mother of two criticizing the plan by asking, "Why force women to give birth to unwanted children?" Some Russian men interviewed, however, saw no major problem with the health ministry's recommendation, with one 49-year-old man stating that choosing not to have children is "unhealthy."
Why force women to give birth to unwanted children?