Russia's Planned National Pregnancy Registry
Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service has reported that the Russian Federation will launch a federal pregnancy registry on March 1, 2026. The registry, to be managed by the Russian Ministry of Health, will compile detailed data on all women who register for prenatal care before the 12th week of pregnancy. Information will be submitted from both state-run and private clinics. This move is part of a broader pattern of increasing state oversight in Russia, where demographic challenges have become a key government concern.
According to the intelligence report, in March 2025, the average daily number of newborns in Russia fell to approximately 3,000, marking the lowest figure in 25 years. Furthermore, Russian authorities have significantly reduced the publication of detailed regional statistics on mortality and birth rates. This lack of transparency has raised concerns about the true state of the country's demographic situation.
Information to be Collected in the Registry
The federal registry will contain data such as:
- Precise pregnancy timelines;
- Existing medical conditions;
- Use of assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization (IVF);
- Child information—sex, weight, date of birth, and details of any congenital anomalies.
This step signals the increasingly active intervention of the Russian authorities into all spheres of citizens' lives. As noted by the Ukrainian intelligence service,
"Russians are increasingly finding themselves in a system where privacy becomes conditional, and the state gains tools to influence practically every stage of a person's life."
The introduction of the federal pregnancy registry in Russia points to shifts in healthcare policy and demographic data collection that could have far-reaching societal consequences. Given the declining birth rate and the reduction in publicly available statistics, this registry could become an instrument for the control and monitoring of women of reproductive age, amplifying state influence over personal life. This development also underscores the ongoing global debate about privacy and personal autonomy in the digital age.