Russia to refer women who don't want children to psychologistsMOSCOW, March 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Russia will refer women who do not want tohave children to psychologists under new health guidelines designed toaddress a systemic demographic crisis. Under new guidelines from the health ministry for reproductive health checks,doctors will ask women how many children they want to have. If the woman answers zero, "it is recommended to send the patient to aconsultation with a medical psychologist with the goal of forming a positiveattitude towards having children." The Kremlin chief casts Russia's shrinking population as a matter of nationalsurvival -- warning in 2024 Russia faced "extinction" if it did not boostbirth rates. Large families are heralded as national heroes and offered a host offinancial and social benefits from the state.
