Russia to Direct Women Reluctant to Have Children to Mandatory Psychological Counseling

In the Russian Federation, gynecologists have been instructed to identify patients who do not plan to have children, according to news sources citing the "Meditsinskaya Rossiya" Telegram channel. The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation has dispatched new methodological guidelines to regional medical organizations.

Under the directive, women aged 18 to 49 will undergo a specialized 61-question survey. Female patients expressing a lack of reproductive intent will be mandatorily referred to psychological counseling designed to foster a positive attitude toward motherhood and build emotional readiness for childbirth. Notably, no such referral to specialists is envisioned for men who do not plan to have children.

Reproductive specialist Kirill Dvortsov noted that while the goal of the initiative is clear, its practical execution creates significant professional and moral contradictions.

“During a session, a psychologist must maintain a neutral stance and refrain from imposing personal views on the patient. The specialist’s role is to listen and create conditions for the individual to make their own decision. However, a direct conflict arises here between the state mandate and professional ethics. When a specialist is assigned a clear objective to boost birth rates, maintaining a neutral position becomes impossible,” the expert emphasized.

Furthermore, the expert warned that exerting moral and psychological pressure on women could backfire. Specifically, imposing motherhood on women with unstable family situations or those without a partner is counterproductive. As a result, patients might conceal truthful information during medical exams or avoid visiting gynecologists altogether to evade mandatory psychological sessions.