When governments get jittery about the size of their populations, they sometimes resort to wildly inventive—and occasionally downright bizarre—measures. Below you’ll find 10 extreme ways nations have tried to control birthrates, each more eye‑catching than the last.
10 Extreme Ways Countries Have Tried To Control Birthrates
Back in 2014 Denmark’s population was teetering on a precarious edge: a mere 0.4 percent growth rate and a fertility rate of 1.73 children per woman. An aging citizenry and too‑few newborns threatened a looming labor shortage, a scenario that sent shivers through any government’s spine. Even more nervous than the state was the travel agency Spies Rejser, which feared that a shrinking pool of Danes would translate into fewer holiday‑makers and, consequently, dwindling business.
Refusing to sit idle, the agency’s creative team rolled out a daring—and slightly scandal‑provocative—commercial campaign aimed squarely at adults, urging couples to increase the nation’s baby count. The slogan? A punchy, unforgettable chant: “Do it for Denmark!”
The ad opened with a bold, attention‑grabbing query: “Can sex save Denmark’s future?” before flashing a solemn elderly couple, then segueing to a young woman strolling through the very hotel where she was conceived. The narrative highlighted that Danes enjoy 46 percent more intimacy while on vacation, resulting in roughly ten percent of all Danish babies being conceived abroad.
Viewers were then whisked to a Parisian escapade, where a flirty couple tried on lingerie and frolicked through the city. The voice‑over reminded Danes that a holiday could be the perfect breeding ground, and to sweeten the deal, Spies offered an “ovulation discount” for bookings made through their agency – essentially a nudge to “get it on” while traveling.
If couples could prove a child was conceived on vacation, the agency promised three years of baby supplies plus a kid‑friendly getaway. The commercial closed with a cheeky reminder: “All the fun is in the participation,” making the offer hard to refuse for any prospective parent.
9 Hate Taxes? Have A Baby In Romania!
In the late 1960s Romania’s birth rate had flattened to near‑zero, prompting the regime to clamp down hard on childlessness. The state outlawed both abortion and contraceptives, made divorce a near‑impossible legal battle, and slapped a punitive tax on any childless household. Men and women over 25 without offspring saw their tax bills swell by as much as 20 percent of their total income.
To enforce the draconian rule, police were stationed inside hospitals to guarantee no abortions slipped through, while women endured monthly gynecological exams designed to catch and preserve any pregnancy. Meanwhile, childless couples over 25 were interrogated about their bedroom activities, a stark reminder that the state was watching.
On the flip side, the government dangled generous “family allowances” that grew with each new child, and families boasting more than three children earned a 30‑percent cut on income taxes. The policy, however, backfired spectacularly, spawning a tragic wave of abandoned newborns who were dumped into overcrowded orphanages.
8 Have A Kid, Be A Heroine
Soviet Russia, eager to amass a massive workforce, turned motherhood into a badge of honor. Women who birthed and raised at least five children earned the lofty title of “Mother Heroine” and received the Soviet Motherhood Medal, a distinction first introduced in 1944.
The award came in two tiers. The Second‑Class Medal recognized mothers of five children, provided the youngest reached at least one year old and all siblings survived. Roughly eight million of these brass medals were handed out, double the number of the silver First‑Class Medal, which celebrated mothers of six or more children who successfully raised them. Today, these historic medals can be found on auction sites like eBay, where collectors snap them up for modest sums.
7 Sex Breaks In South Korea
When South Korea’s fertility rate sank to a dismal 1.2 children per woman—one of the lowest among developed nations—the government tried a novel approach: “Family Day.” Every third Wednesday of the month, public offices closed early at 7 p.m., nudging employees to head home and spend quality time with their families, hopefully leading to larger families.
Officials hoped the shortened workday would inspire staff to focus more on child‑rearing, but the policy failed to spark a noticeable surge in births. Still, with a birthrate even lower than Japan’s, every modest increase mattered to the policymakers.
6 Sterilization ‘Camps’ In India
1975 marked a dark chapter in India’s democratic saga when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed a 21‑month, nationwide sterilization drive. While the country later restored democratic freedoms, forced sterilization remains a potent weapon in the fight against rapid population growth.
Women are coaxed into voluntary sterilization with cash incentives; those who decline face coercion, and many are sterilized against their will. The government also penalises large families—denying gun ownership or public office to those who exceed the prescribed size.
Perhaps the most harrowing aspect is the so‑called “sterilization camps.” In one rural hospital, a single doctor reportedly sterilized 83 women in just five hours, using equipment that was barely rinsed in disinfectant before each procedure.
5 Mentos: Working To Increase Birthrates
Panicking over a birthrate that fell below one child per woman, Singapore’s government teamed up with candy‑maker Mentos in 2012 for the “National Night” campaign. A three‑minute commercial featured a rap urging citizens to “make love” instead of watching fireworks, promoting baby‑making as a patriotic duty.
The catchy chorus declared “National Night,” urging couples to unite for the nation’s future. The ad closed with a bold invitation: “Get your National Night on” and let your “patriotism explode.”
Whether the campaign nudged the birthrate upward remains unclear, but Singapore earned the dubious distinction of being the only country to link mint‑flavored candy with sexual activity.
4 Robot Babies In Japan
When a demographer warned that Japan could face extinction in a millennium, the government finally took the forecast seriously. After years of complacency, officials turned to an unexpected ally: robot infants.
Students at the University of Tsukuba engineered a lifelike robot baby that sniffs, cries, giggles, and even sneezes. Adults are invited to interact with the mechanical infant, hoping the experience will rekindle a longing for real‑life baby care and motivate them to conceive.
3 Secretly Sterilizing Women In Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan, where large families have traditionally symbolised success, found its birthrate at 2.53 children per woman. Alarmed, the government launched a covert operation to sterilise women without their consent.
Between 2010 and 2012, women who had already delivered a second child were sterilised in hospitals or doctors’ offices, often without any prior warning. Anonymous testimonies reveal that doctors received monthly quotas, sometimes forced to sterilise up to eight women per week, especially in rural clinics.
2 Lebensborn In Nazi Germany
While the world knows about Nazi propaganda urging German mothers to bear as many children as possible for the war effort, a shadowy initiative called Lebensborn remained hidden for decades. The program’s mission was to proliferate and preserve Aryan traits.
Pregnant women who met strict Aryan criteria—light hair, light eyes—were secretly admitted to discreet clinics scattered across Germany. There, they received care until birth, with the ultimate goal of expanding the “pure” Aryan race by any means necessary.
1 Need A New Car? Pregnancy Will Take Care Of That!
After the Soviet era drove Russia’s birthrate skyward, the country’s subsequent collapse left a skeletal youth population. Determined to replenish its ranks, the Russian government declared September 12, 2007, as the National Day of Conception.
This holiday granted couples a day off work, encouraging them to view procreation as a civic duty. To sweeten the bargain, women who conceived on that day and gave birth on June 12 (Russia Day) entered a lottery for cash, automobiles, or brand‑new appliances such as refrigerators.
The strategy paid off: the region’s birthrate jumped 4.5 percent in 2007. After all, who could resist the lure of a free car?
High‑school student Aria doubles as a freelance writer and babysitter, funding her travel dreams and, hopefully, her college tuition.