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Russia’s Orthodox Church Urges Husbands’ Consent for Abortions as Birth Rates Plunge
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Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has proposed a legislative ban preventing women in registered marriages from having an abortion without their husband's consent.
As reported by The Moscow Times on January 29, he argued that “women’s psyches are more fragile, and they are more emotionally vulnerable,” which may cause them to act impulsively or be “in a state of emotional distress.”
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“A woman could be in a state of emotional distress… And that's why it's important for the husband to be present, someone who can say, 'No, listen, we’ll manage, we’ll earn money... His words should be part of the discussion on whether to go ahead with this act or not,” Patriarch Kirill explained during a speech in the Federation Council.
Additionally, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church suggested introducing a federal law to criminalize any attempts to persuade women to have an abortion. He also advocated for a complete ban on abortion procedures in private medical institutions, where, he believes, it is “practically impossible” to ensure proper oversight of compliance with the rules.
According to The Moscow Times, church representatives nave already begun filing complaints with the Prosecutor General's Office about private clinics that they believe are violating regulations regarding abortion procedures. From February 2023 to October 2025, the number of these clinics in Russia dropped by 26%, from 2,813 to 2,088, according to the Russian Orthodox Church.
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Russian officials are considering restrictions on abortion services due to the significant decline in birth rates, which have reached their lowest levels since the 1990s. In 14 regions, fines have already been implemented for “inducing abortion,” and similar measures are being developed in other regions. The Russian Orthodox Church had previously suggested making constitutional amendments to implement a nationwide ban on abortions.
Russia's declining birth rate continues to be a significant concern, as the country's total fertility rate (TFR) reached a new low of 1.374 children per woman by the end of 2025, marking the tenth consecutive year of decline.
This drop is a slight decrease from 1.4 in 2024 and represents the lowest level since 2006, when the TFR stood at 1.305. Notably, the most substantial decline occurred after 2015 when the TFR peaked at 1.762, but since then, the fertility rate has fallen by 22%, a sharp decrease that has not been seen since the 1990s.
Despite calls from Russian leader Vladimir Putin to reverse this trend by encouraging larger families, the number of third and subsequent children has also seen a decline. By December 2025, the fertility rate for third children dropped to 0.362, lower than the 0.376 recorded in 2024, and even below the 0.364 rate seen in 2021, prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
These figures paint a troubling picture for the future of Russia’s population growth, further compounded by the significant decline in birth rates despite ongoing government efforts. This demographic crisis is being closely linked to the broader socio-political challenges, including the ongoing war in Ukraine and the economic impact it has had on Russian society.
Earlier, it was reportede that the Russian Orthodox Church recently launched a newly approved nationwide prayer service, calling on women to refrain from having abortions.
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