Taiwan’s IVF success rate is as high as 40%, ranking just below the United States globally. Doctors pointed out today that in recent years, the age of women undergoing artificial reproduction has been increasing. They hope the government will expand subsidies for age and number of attempts, and loosen regulations so that single women and lesbians can also undergo the procedure.
Minister of Health and Welfare, Chen Tae-yuan, attending the opening ceremony of the flourishing Banqiao Reproductive Clinic, stated that the recent participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) revealed declining birth rates as a common issue in many countries. However, in Switzerland, many families have up to three children, and they even find baby stroller space insufficient. He hopes to follow Switzerland’s example to improve Taiwan’s declining birth rate situation, allowing those who wish to have children to do so and meet the expectations of the public and their families.
Dr. Yang Cheng-hsien, Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology at National Taiwan University Hospital, pointed out that in the case of National Taiwan University Hospital, only about 8% of women who undergo egg retrieval procedures actually utilize the eggs. The rest may not use them due to factors like subsequent natural pregnancies. Many are also unable to undergo the procedure due to current regulations, particularly those who remain unmarried for a long time. The age of women undergoing artificial reproduction has also been increasing, with the average age of those seeking fertility treatment now around 40 years old, but the success rate for this age group is only about 30%.
The current subsidy criteria from the National Health Insurance Administration under the Ministry of Health and Welfare for infertility treatment (IVF) target “couples where one spouse is a national of Taiwan and the wife is under 45 years old, with a diagnosis of infertility requiring IVF treatment.” For wives under 39 years old (inclusive) undergoing IVF treatment and successfully delivering, they can receive a maximum subsidy for up to 6 attempts; for those aged 40 to 44, they can receive a maximum subsidy for up to 3 attempts.
Dr. Lee Yi, Director of the Infertility Center at Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, pointed out that the success rate of assisted reproduction in Taiwan is about 40%, second only to the United States’ 42%, ranking second globally. However, the age of those seeking treatment continues to rise. He hopes the government will expand the subsidy eligibility age to 46 and increase the number of attempts for those over 40 to 3. Regarding the ongoing discussion on amending the Artificial Reproduction Act, he stated that if single individuals and lesbians are included, the average age of recipients is expected to significantly decrease.
Dr. Lee Mao-sheng, President of Flourishing Hospital, expressed hope to complete the amendment of the Artificial Reproduction Act this year. He said that in Europe, newborns from same-sex marriages, single parents, and surrogate mothers account for as much as 30%, which helps to improve declining birth rates. Since same-sex marriage is legal in Taiwan, it should logically apply to artificial reproduction laws. They shouldn’t have to spend a lot of money or travel abroad to have children.
Dr. Hong Tzu-jen, Vice President of Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital and a member of the International Medical Management Task Force, said that since 2021, the government has been expanding subsidies for infertility treatment. So far, 18,000 newborns have been successfully born, driving the development of reproductive medicine in Taiwan. The number of reproductive medicine centers has been continuously increasing in recent years. If subsidy eligibility is further expanded, it is hoped that it will drive the development of reproductive medical technology and academics in Taiwan, making Taiwan’s reproductive medicine a global highlight.
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