New maternity regime expands workers' rights from July 1st

For many years, maternity benefits have been considered one of the essential social security policies, directly impacting the lives of workers. Not only ensuring the rights of female workers during pregnancy, childbirth and raising children, this policy also contributes to encouraging childbirth and improving population quality.

According to the provisions of point a, clause 1, Article 14 of the 2025 Population Law and clause 1, Article 2 of Decree 168/2026/ND-CP, from July 1, many maternity benefits are adjusted according to the new reference level of 2.53 million VND/month. Accordingly, the one-time allowance when giving birth increases to 5.06 million VND; at the same time, the level of enjoyment of post-partum health recovery and recovery benefits is also adjusted to increase according to new regulations.

Welcoming this regulation, Ms. Tran Thi Hai Yen (Hoang Liet ward, Hanoi) expressed her agreement with the changes towards expanding maternity benefits.

Currently I am pregnant with my second child. According to the new regulations, maternity leave is extended to 7 months, I find it very reasonable. From the 6th month onwards, the child starts to eat solids and needs the mother's companionship more. Longer maternity leave also helps me have conditions to take better care of the child, and the body also recovers well after giving birth. In addition, the increased allowance level also helps reduce economic pressure for women after giving birth," Ms. Yen shared.

Not only female workers, the regime for male workers is also adjusted in the direction of increasing the rest time when the wife gives birth. Mr. Pham Dinh Duy (Hanoi), whose wife is pregnant with her second child, said that this is a noteworthy point of the new policy, helping the husband have more time to accompany and share the care of mother and baby in the early postpartum period. Because according to him, there are also many cases of postpartum women suffering from depression and stress.

From a professional perspective, doctors highly appreciate the adjustments in maternity policies from July 1, 2026, believing that this is a humane and practical step forward for pregnant women.

According to BSCKII Nghiem Thi Kim Thu (Department of Obstetrics I, Thanh Nhan Hospital), new points such as extending maternity leave for some cases, increasing leave time for male workers when their wives give birth, as well as expanding support policies related to infertility treatment and economic support for voluntary insurance participants... show the State's concern for the reproductive health of women and children.

Doctors also recommend that physically, if a woman returns to work early after giving birth, especially heavy labor or exercise too early, it can increase the risk of gynecomastia, affect the recovery process of postpartum wounds and affect the mother's milk supply. In addition, mentally, after giving birth, the mother's body has physiological and hormonal changes. Returning to work early, coupled with the pressure of taking care of the baby and work, can increase stress and affect the mental health of women after giving birth.

In Clause 3, Article 4 of the 2024 Law on Social Insurance (effective from July 1, 2025), voluntary social insurance is expanded with maternity benefits for participants, instead of only stopping at the two pension and death benefits as before.

According to regulations, voluntary social insurance participants must pay for at least 6 months within 12 months before giving birth to meet the conditions for enjoying the regime. Notably, in case the father participates in compulsory social insurance, the mother participates in voluntary social insurance (or vice versa) and both meet the conditions, each person can still receive maternity allowance according to the corresponding form of participation. This regulation is considered a positive opening step, contributing to expanding opportunities to access social security, especially for informal workers and vulnerable groups. According to Article 95 of the 2024 Law on Social Insurance, the maternity allowance level is 2,000,000 VND for each child born. In case of stillbirth from 22 weeks or older or fetal death during labor, participants are also entitled to this allowance level.

These adjustments not only help women have more time to recover physically and mentally after giving birth, but also create conditions to better care for young children in the early stages of life. At the same time, policies are also expected to contribute to reducing economic pressure and encouraging childbirth in the context of a changing population.

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