Armenia’s growing number of large families: Statistics, one couple’s story and expert insights

In recent years, more young families in Armenia have chosen to have a third or even fourth child. According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, around 8,300 third and subsequent children were born in 2018. By 2023, that figure had risen to more than 12,400, before easing slightly to around 12,000 in 2024. Overall, the number of third and subsequent births increased by about 45% between 2018 and 2024. Full-year data for 2025 are not yet available, although figures up to September show that 8,070 third and subsequent children had been born.

Experts cite a range of reasons why families choose to have larger families. Conversations with parents of three or more children suggest there is no single explanation, but the most common responses include: “Two children didn’t feel enough“, “We wanted a child of the opposite sex“, and “We were thinking about the country’s future.”

“We planned to have a large family, regardless of state support”

Vanuhi and Tigran married in 2013. For seven years, they were unable to have children. Eventually, they turned to in vitro fertilisation (IVF). In 2021, they became parents to triplets – a girl and two boys.

“We were asked how many children we wanted. We could have chosen one or two. But we decided to take the risk and become parents of triplets, even though we knew the risks were higher,” Vanuhi says.

According to Vanuhi, both she and her husband grew up in large families. From the outset, they wanted a big family of their own – at least three children and, ideally, as many as six.“I received so much love and care from my brothers and sisters that I found it hard to imagine a family with just one or two children. My parents are no longer alive, but I feel stronger and more complete because I have my brothers and sisters,” says Tigran Hovakimyan.

The couple raised the triplets on their own, without relying on grandparents or other relatives. When the children turned three, they started nursery. Then came another surprise: Vanuhi became pregnant with their fourth child.

Vanuhi says they were astonished, as doctors had told them they had virtually no chance of conceiving naturally.

“We now have four young children. We both work and can provide them with good food, clothes and opportunities for leisure. We also receive state benefits. Because we had triplets, the government counts each of them as a third child and pays 50,000 drams (about $137) per child each month. We now receive an additional 50,000 drams for our fourth child, as well as 30,000 drams (about $82) because my wife is temporarily unable to work while on maternity leave,” Tigran explains.

He says that part of the money is deposited into savings accounts opened in the children’s names, while the rest is spent on their activities and recreation. The family has bought a large inflatable swimming pool for the garden of their home, as well as bicycles, and the children also attend paid extracurricular classes and sports clubs.

The couple are also setting aside modest savings to help ensure all four children can receive a good education.“You know, many families have children because of state benefits or other government support. We don’t judge them, but our story is different. We always planned to have three or more children without relying on state assistance. It wasn’t something that influenced our decision. In the early years of our marriage, both my wife and I worked several jobs at the same time so that we could afford to buy a large house, hoping one day we’d have a big family,” Tigran says.

“If we were still paying off a mortgage, we would probably depend on the child benefits that families receive until their children turn six,” Vanuhi adds.

How state encourages higher birth rates

In 2022, Armenia introduced a state support program under which families receive a monthly payment of 50,000 drams ($137) for a third and each subsequent child until the child reaches the age of six.

By 2025, more than 45,000 children were covered by the scheme.

Under a separate program, the state repays part of a family’s mortgage principal following the birth of a child. The subsidy amounts to:

• up to 500,000 drams ($1,377) for a second child,
• up to 1 million drams ($2,754) for a third child,
• up to 1.5 million drams ($4,132) for a fourth child.

The scheme applies to mortgages that meet certain social eligibility criteria and is regarded as one of the government’s key measures to encourage higher birth rates.

In addition, amendments to Armenia’s Labor Code that came into force in 2026 introduced new benefits for working parents. In particular, parents with children under the age of 12 are now entitled to a “parental hour” – a shorter working day without any reduction in pay:

• parents with one or two children can finish work 30 minutes earlier; parents with three or more children are entitled to a one-hour reduction in their working day.

The benefit can be used by either the mother or the father.

Families also receive a one-off payment of 500,000 drams ($1,377) for every child, including their first.

More recently, the government approved a new housing program for families raising six or more children under the age of 18, an initiative proposed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

“Under this program, large families will be able to purchase property or build a detached house in any regional community in Armenia with 100% state funding,” ministry spokesperson Gayane Karagezyan said.

The program does not cover property purchases in Yerevan, however, reflecting the government’s policy of promoting balanced regional development.

“More targeted measures are needed”

Demographer Rubina Grigoryan says the government’s efforts to encourage larger families have produced some results. While the increase in births is evident, she believes it is still not enough.

“New, more targeted programs are needed. They should be tailored separately for Yerevan and the regions. They should also go beyond financial assistance. The recently introduced ‘parental hour’ is one example of an effective incentive. I believe more should be done to expand access to nurseries and kindergartens. Just look at how many private childcare centers cater for children under the age of two. If the state increased the number of places in public childcare facilities, more women would consider having additional children.”

Grigoryan says attitudes towards large families have also become more positive in recent years. They are not only receiving greater state support but are also more valued by society.

“However, many of these families may face difficulties once their children grow older, particularly with the costs of education and other financial pressures. State support is available only until children reach the age of six. After that, families seem to be left without much assistance. This is something policymakers should also address. As for the recent rise in birth rates, I see one particularly significant factor. The increase in births between 2021 and 2023 was largely influenced by the aftermath of the Karabakh war. Many families decided to have children after the war, each for their own reasons – from a sense of responsibility towards those who died to a desire to help build a stronger country for the future,” Grigoryan says.