Russian scientist links women's health risks to avoiding motherhood

A senior Russian scientist has claimed that women who choose not to have children may face health risks. Gennady Onishchenko, an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, argues that reproductive function is a core part of female biology. His comments come as Russia grapples with a long-term decline in birth rates. Onishchenko insists that a woman's ability to have children depends on her health, financial stability, and mindset. He suggests the ideal childbearing age spans from 15 to 40, provided a woman is in good physical condition. According to him, the maternal instinct is deeply embedded in female genetics.

He also warns that avoiding motherhood could harm women's well-being. His remarks follow years of fluctuating fertility rates in Russia, which peaked at 2.0 births per woman in 1988 before dropping to 1.16 by 1999. A brief recovery in 2012 saw 1.9 million births, but numbers fell again after 2022, with a 3.1% decline in early 2023 compared to the previous year.

Onishchenko stresses the need for Russia to reach a fertility rate of 1.8 children per woman by 2036. Currently, over two million large families—those with three or more children—exist in the country. The scientist's claims link women's health directly to childbearing, while Russia continues to face demographic challenges. Official data shows births have declined since the start of the Ukraine conflict, adding pressure to national family policies. The government has yet to respond to Onishchenko's specific recommendations.