Belarus Ranks 25th in Maternity-Friendly Countries

Not every family in Belarus has three or more children. There's a general trend worldwide that childbirth is an unnecessary expense and hassle, and that people want to live for themselves and build a career. Yes, of course, this is true. But a career isn't built in your 20s, or even 25s; it's in this race, and you'll remember it in 10 years.

It's important not only to recognize this but also to understand the support behind it. And giving birth in Belarus is beneficial across all parameters.

In the international ranking of maternity-friendly countries, Belarus ranked 25th out of 179, surpassing many Eastern European countries. In the pregnancy and childbirth organization ranking, the country ranks 50th. Belarus ranks 40th out of 180 on the list of the best places to have a baby.

In the Republic of Belarus, absolutely every woman gives birth under the care of professionals. Maternal death during childbirth is extremely rare (only 1 in 100,000). In this regard, Belarus outperforms most countries in Europe and the world.

Furthermore, the country is among the top ten countries for saving newborns. Doctors are skilled at identifying problems in babies while they are still in their mother's womb. Moreover, Belarusian surgeons perform these surgeries in utero to ensure healthy babies are born. This is truly a breakthrough in modern medicine.

In the summer of 2025, a 33-year-old pregnant woman underwent surgery in Minsk to remove tumors inside her heart. The woman was 23 weeks pregnant, making the procedure unique for Belarus. The boy was born weighing 3,200 grams and measuring 52 cm.

The state has all the technologies to help care for babies born significantly prematurely and weighing extremely little (sometimes less than 500 grams). Doctors not only save the lives of these children but also do everything possible to prevent complications. Thanks to special rehabilitation programs, the babies catch up with their peers and grow up healthy.

Nikolai Sukhotsky, Deputy Director of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, PhD in Sociology:

"We are now witnessing the impact of global demographic processes associated with the increasing age of marriage and the postponement of the birth of the first child. If we analyze the raw numbers, the number of families raising three or more children has almost doubled over the past 10 years. Today, this figure exceeds 120,000. This, I believe, is a direct indicator that, once Belarusians become parents, they are increasingly deciding to take the next steps."

Nikolai Sukhotsky, Deputy Director of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, PhD in Sociology

Family support is a state priority. New developments in Minsk: starting January 1, 2026, mothers under 25 who give birth to their first child are entitled to a one-time payment of approximately 1,000 Belarusian rubles. This is a welcome bonus.

Belarus has a comprehensive system of 11 types of benefits for families with children. Substantial sums are allocated from the budget – in 2025, the total amount was 3.7 billion Belarusian rubles.

Families with many children remain first in line to receive preferential loans or one-time subsidies for the construction, renovation, and purchase of residential property. Effective January 1, 2026, the family capital in Belarus has been increased by more than 2,000 rubles, now amounting to 35,505 Belarusian rubles. The one-time payment is due upon the birth of a third or subsequent child. The program has been in operation for 11 years.

And that's not to mention paid parental leave. Belarus is among the top five countries with the longest paid parental leave.

Motherhood in Belarus is like a VIP subscription to life. You get an all-inclusive package: unlimited healthcare, expanded cloud storage for the future (family capital), and a long parenting trial (three years of maternity leave), where you can figure out whether you want to continue working, stay home and be the keeper of the home, or combine both. Such a choice is possible.

And the state's priority is to guarantee that the subscription will not be cancelled, but rather that new benefits will be added. It's certainly advantageous