Vietnam has introduced new rules that limit when a fetus’s gender can be disclosed. Understanding these rules is important because breaking them can lead to heavy fines and affect everyday life for families and communities.

Disclosing a fetus’s gender is illegal unless the case involves one of the diseases listed in the Ministry of Health’s Circular No. 11, which took effect on July 1 2026. The circular specifies conditions such as G6PD deficiency, hemophilia, Turner syndrome and several others. The Ministry says Vietnam’s sex ratio at birth remains higher than the natural balance.

The Population Law No. 113, which began on July 1 2026, makes reducing the birth‑sex imbalance a priority. Article 15 asks residential communities to add rules against son preference and sex‑selection into their local regulations. This aims to curb practices that create a surplus of men.

Violators can be fined between VND 5 million and VND 30 million. Under Government Decree No. 90, anyone who forces or intimidates another person to obtain a fetus of a desired sex faces a fine of VND 7‑15 million, rising to VND 15‑20 million if physical force is used. Fines of VND 20‑25 million apply to doctors who prescribe sex‑selection drugs or supply related equipment, and penalties of VND 25‑30 million target practitioners who perform sex‑selective abortions. In addition, healthcare facilities or practitioners may have their licences suspended for one to three months, or up to twelve months for serious breaches.

Because the new rules link heavy financial penalties and possible licence suspensions to any form of sex‑selection, individuals, families and community leaders must follow the law carefully. Compliance not only avoids legal trouble but also supports the national effort to balance the sex ratio, which the government says influences sustainable development.