Ministry of Health directs childless women to psychologists

The Russian Ministry of Health has introduced new requirements for medical institutions, obliging doctors to identify women of reproductive age who do not wish to have children.

The procedure begins during health screening. If a woman aged 18 to 49 indicates in the questionnaire that she desires 'zero' children, the doctor is required to refer her for a consultation with a psychologist.

This new initiative is selective: similar recommendations for men are absent. This means that male patients are not subject to mandatory referral to specialists regarding childbirth when providing similar answers in questionnaires.