HANOI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City plans to increase financial support from the current 3 million Vietnamese dong to 5 million (about 113.73 to 189.55 U.S. dollars) for women who give birth to two children before the age of 35, local media VnExpress reported Thursday.
According to a resolution passed by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council, mothers and babies from poor and near-poor households will also receive 2 million dong (about 75.82 dollars) for prenatal and newborn screening.
According to the National Statistics Office, Ho Chi Minh City ranks last with its fertility rate of 1.43 children per woman, which is far below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population. ■
