March 18, 2025

"How Are You, Still Haven´t Given Birth Yet?"


"How Are You, Still Haven´t Given Birth Yet?"
A pregnant woman stands in front of a window. The Russian Life files.

On March 13, Moscovites were presented with a giant pink road sign that read, "How are you, still haven't given birth yet?" The Moscow Department of Health's latest campaign started at a time when Russia is not only facing a demographic crisis, but also cracking down on reproductive rights.

In the pink ad, the word rodila (gave birth) appears with the "o" in the shape of a heart, but the campaign is far from a friendly invitation. According to Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, the birthrate in Russia is at a "terribly low level," with 1.4 births per woman. This is comparable to Japan and many European countries. Casualties in the invasion of Ukraine and the emigration of Russians have further fueled the demographic crisis. Peskov said that the way to solve this problem was to "increase the average birth rate." In other words, to urge women to give birth.

It's not the first time the government has incentivized women to give birth. In 2019, the show "Pregnant at 16" was aired on official state television. It was a copy of the American reality TV show "16 and Pregnant," and aimed at encouraging teens to "make the right choice" and keep their pregnancies.

Russian officials have also targeted abortion. Since August 2024, it has been illegal to buy abortion-inducing pills without a prescription. The Chairpairson of the Federation Council, Valentina Matvienko, said that doctors that dissuaded patients from getting an abortion would be awarded bonuses. Meanwhile, the Ryazan Regional Duma proposed a law that would fine doctors who "induced" abortion. Therefore, any healthcare provider who mentioned any way to end a pregnancy would be penalized.

While Russia pushes for its women to give birth, the cost of living index has not gotten better. Food prices have increased by over 50 percent. The maximum benefits a woman can receive in a year and a half is R68,995 ($809), which is comparable to renting a cheap one-bedroom apartment in Moscow for a month. 

You Might Also Like

Fleeting Freedom
  • March 16, 2025

Fleeting Freedom

A Ural journalist was released from jail, only to be re-arrested.
Women's Rights in Wartime
  • March 04, 2025

Women's Rights in Wartime

Women's rights activists face increased pressure and reduced domestic violence resources in Russia.
Frontline Sex, Moscow Prices
  • February 11, 2025

Frontline Sex, Moscow Prices

Russian sex workers have flocked to the frontlines of Ukraine to satisfy soldiers' growing demand.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955