Female workers who give birth are entitled to six months of maternity leave, receiving 100% of the average monthly salary used as the basis for SI contributions over the six consecutive months prior to giving birth, provided they have contributed to SI for at least six full months within the twelve months preceding the birth. From 1 July 2025, in cases of multiple births, an additional one month of leave is granted for each child from the second onwards (totaling seven months or more). In addition, a lump-sum allowance equivalent to two times the statutory base salary is provided for each child.

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Alongside birth leave, female workers are also entitled to a lump-sum allowance of two times the statutory base salary per child, helping to cover essential initial expenses upon welcoming a new family member. Throughout the pregnancy, workers are entitled to up to five prenatal check-up leave days, one working day per visit (two days for those living far from a medical facility or where the pregnancy shows abnormal signs), ensuring that maternal health monitoring is carried out thoroughly and in a timely manner. After the end of maternity leave, if health has not yet fully recovered, female workers may take an additional recuperation leave of five to ten days and receive the applicable allowance – an important added benefit that gives mothers sufficient time to genuinely recover before returning to work.

Viewed as a whole, the maternity policy within SI creates a continuous chain of protection from pregnancy through the postnatal period, significantly reducing the risk of female workers falling into financial hardship during this sensitive phase. Experience from many countries shows that the absence of adequate maternity support policies is one of the key reasons women are compelled to leave the labor market after giving birth. In Vietnam, the maternity regime with a 100% income replacement rate over six months stands among the most favorable in the region, contributing to maintaining a high female labor force participation rate.

Alongside maternity policy, Health Insurance (HI) is the most direct instrument for safeguarding the health of pregnant women. HI covers the majority of costs for routine prenatal check-ups, laboratory tests, ultrasounds, and obstetric services at in-network medical facilities. For low-income workers and rural women – those who previously had to bear the full cost of childbirth – this represents a profoundly meaningful form of support, enabling them to access safe healthcare services without the burden of financial worry. The significance of this is borne out by the statistics: maternal and neonatal mortality rates in Vietnam have declined substantially in recent years, to which the expansion of HI coverage has made a considerable contribution.

For children, the HI policy reflects a profound humanitarian vision: all children under the age of six are issued HI cards free of charge and are exempt from out-of-pocket costs for in-network medical consultations and treatment. In the early years of life, children’s healthcare needs are extensive and frequent, ranging from expanded immunization programs and treatment of seasonal respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses to the management of injuries and accidents. The HI card not only helps families reduce the burden of medical costs but also encourages parents to bring children in for early check-ups, enabling timely detection and treatment of illness rather than postponing care for financial reasons. In cases of serious or life-threatening illness requiring significant treatment costs, HI also serves to protect families from the risk of financial ruin – a particularly vital safeguard for low-income households.

It can be firmly stated that, with its comprehensive maternity policy and an HI system covering individuals from birth, SI is steadily becoming a robust social safety net, accompanying Vietnamese female workers through their most vulnerable stages of life. To continue delivering results effectively, the SI system needs to be reformed in an increasingly flexible direction, with administrative procedures simplified, while communication efforts are intensified so that female workers in all areas – particularly those in the informal sector and in agriculture – fully understand their entitlements and proactively participate. Investing in the health of women and children today is the foundation for a healthy workforce and the sustainable development of the country in the future.