TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The New Taipei City government said Tuesday that it will begin providing subsidies to residents for egg and sperm freezing starting in July.
The city government said it will provide egg freezing subsidies of NT$30,000 (US$984) and sperm freezing subsidies of NT$8,000 to encourage childbirth, per CNA.
New Taipei’s Health Department Director Chen Jun-chiu (陳潤秋) said that to support women whose fertility may be affected by cancer or related treatments, the egg freezing subsidy will be up to NT$70,000, including NT$60,000 for the procedure and NT$10,000 for storage fees.
Chen said the optimal childbearing age for women is between 25 and 35, while men are advised to complete childbearing before 40. She noted the proportion of older mothers in Taiwan has been rising annually, with the average age for first-time mothers reaching 31.5 in 2023.
The department said that city residents who are married, have not had their first child, and have at least one spouse registered in New Taipei are eligible for one free health checkup. The checkup includes an AMH test, a blood test that provides insight into the remaining quantity of eggs and potential fertile years, to help prospective mothers assess their fertility.
Taiwan's major cities, along with Hsinchu, Chiayi, and Miaoli, offer egg freezing subsidies, limited to a one-time use per person. Among these, the Taichung City government provides the highest subsidy, with a maximum of NT$50,000.
According to Lee Women’s Hospital, couples are eligible to apply for test-tube baby treatment subsidies if at least one partner holds Taiwanese nationality, they are legally married in Taiwan, and the woman is under 45 and diagnosed as infertile by a doctor.
The Ministry of the Interior said that Taiwan recorded 8,684 newborns in April, the lowest monthly birth figure on record and marking a 16-month decline. The number of deaths in April reached 17,000, making it the 52nd consecutive month in which deaths outnumbered births.
To encourage childbirth, all local governments in Taiwan offer birth subsidies ranging from NT$10,000 to NT$40,000 for a first child.
