Women in Russia who say they do not want children could be referred to medical psychologists under new government guidance aimed at addressing the country’s declining birth rate.
The guidance, issued by Russia’s Health Ministry, applies to women aged 18 to 49 who indicate in a questionnaire that they do not wish to give birth. They would be referred for consultations intended to encourage more positive attitudes towards having children.
The policy has sparked criticism from politicians, medical professionals and human rights advocates, with opponents arguing that it places unfair pressure on women to become mothers.
The guidance also targets women who are underweight or overweight, with medical intervention proposed to improve their chances of having children.
The move follows other controversial efforts by Russian authorities to encourage childbirth as the country faces a prolonged demographic decline.
In March 2025, reports emerged that schoolgirls in some Russian regions could receive payments exceeding 100,000 roubles (nearly £900) for becoming pregnant, giving birth and raising their babies.
A survey by the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre found that 43% of respondents supported the latest policy, while 40% opposed it.
Critics accuse government of pressuring women
Dr Olga Demicheva, a member of Russia’s Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights, criticised the guidance, arguing that women should not be pressured into having children.
While she believes many women want to become mothers, she said those with different life plans should not be subjected to what she described as corrective education.
“Compelling women to reproduce — that is the only way I can describe this initiative, which turns a woman from a free individual into an instrument for improving the demographic situation,” she said.
She described the approach as something resembling “unscientific fiction”.
Russian MP Ksenia Goryacheva, from the New People party, also questioned why the policy appeared to focus exclusively on women rather than men who did not want children.
“If a man says he does not want children, will he also be referred to ‘develop [the right] attitudes’?” she asked.
Tatyana Sinyavskaya, a psychologist at the Docbrain clinic in Krasnodar, said psychologists should not be used to change people’s beliefs through pressure.
“A psychologist is not a tool for ‘reprogramming’ someone’s personality,” she said.
She added that consultations should focus on understanding people’s fears, values and personal circumstances rather than forcing them to adopt a particular outlook on parenthood.
Russia faces a deepening demographic crisis
Russia’s fertility rate stands at approximately 1.41 children per woman, well below the replacement level of about 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population without immigration.
Official figures cited in the report show that approximately 1.22 million babies were born in Russia in 2024, down from 1.94 million in 2015.
The country has a population of about 146 million, but its demographic challenges have been compounded by the war in Ukraine, which has resulted in heavy military losses and prompted many young, working-age Russians to move abroad.
Economic pressures, including high inflation, housing costs and financial insecurity, are also believed to be discouraging people from having children.
The latest guidance reflects the government’s efforts to reverse the declining birth rate, but critics warn that encouraging parenthood through psychological pressure risks undermining women’s personal autonomy.
