TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Women's groups gathered outside the Legislative Yuan (立法院) on Dec. 5 to protest an amendment to the Assisted Reproduction Act (人工生殖法). The amendment, introduced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (衛生福利部) in May, aims to legalize altruistic surrogate motherhood for infertile couples. However, opposition has led to the separation of the surrogacy bill from the act as of December.
The draft legislation permits altruistic surrogacy, where surrogates receive no compensation and are limited to one surrogate pregnancy in their lifetime. Women's groups claim the system exploits women, imposing high pregnancy risks and pushing economically disadvantaged women to bear reproductive risks for wealthier individuals. Savungaz, chairperson of the Taiwan Indigenous Youth Public Participation Association (台灣原住民族青年公共參與協會), voiced concerns about indigenous women facing economic pressures to become surrogates.
Despite restrictions on altruistic surrogacy, there are fears of potential commercialization. Consulting and medical institutions can charge fees, potentially leading to a commercial industry. Health Promotion Administration (國民健康署) reported 49,652 assisted reproduction procedures in Taiwan in 2021, with at least 2,000 people facing genital infertility, according to Taiwan People's Party (民眾黨) Legislator Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿).
Nuwa Healthcare (宜蘊醫療) founder and Kuomintang (國民黨) Legislator Chen Ching-Hui (陳菁徽) emphasized the inevitability of the surrogacy bill due to delayed childbearing ages. Infertility expert Dr. Lee Mao-sheng (李茂盛) acknowledged the demand for surrogacy, noting life-threatening pregnancy risks for some women.
Democratic Progressive Party (民進黨) Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) suggested adoption as an alternative, highlighting that 800 children in Taiwan await adoption, with only a quarter finding families. As societal views on family evolve, continuous dialogue is essential to finding a balanced approach.
