TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A growing number of Taiwanese women are opting to freeze their eggs, reflecting a shift toward later marriage and childbirth.
National Taiwan University Hospital's research indicates a significant 86% rise in egg freezing among women aged 35 to 39 over the past three years. However, between 2002 and 2020, the hospital noted a low average egg utilization rate of 8.4%, far below the U.S. at 38%.
Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Chou Jih-haw had linked this low rate to prevailing regulations. The 2007 "Assisted Reproduction Act" restricts frozen egg use to heterosexual marriages, excluding unmarried women and same-sex couples.
With Taiwan's birth rate at a record low of 0.89 children per woman in 2022, amending the Act is seen as vital. Legislators across parties urge amending the act, criticizing its failure to meet modern needs and advocating for the removal of restrictions for single women and lesbian couples first.
The Taiwanese government is currently considering revisions; however, no conclusion was reached after reviewing eight draft amendments on Dec. 4.
Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan, underscoring the ministry's impartial stance, calls for comprehensive public hearings. These hearings are intended to gather a range of opinions on medical care and the rights of women and children, involving discussions with diverse groups and experts.
This approach underlines the importance of careful and inclusive development of the revised Act, given the complex nature of assisted reproduction.
