A declining birth rate led lawmakers to approve a new policy on Tuesday that lifts the limit on the number of children many families may have.

The move responded to a record-low birth rate that has persisted below population replacement levels for three years,

Vietnam on Tuesday scrapped its nearly four-decade policy limiting families to two children, as Vietnamese birth rates continue to drop, the older population increases and officials warn of the long-term risks of demographic decline for the economy, defense and the fabric of society.