《TAIPEI TIMES》IVF subsidies played part in 15,106 births, HPA says

By Chiu Chih-jou and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Subsidies for in vitro fertilization （IVF） have assisted in more than 15,000 births over the past two-and-a-half years, the Health Promotion Administration （HPA） said yesterday.

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The Ministry of Health and Welfare in July 2021 expanded subsidies for couples trying to conceive through IVF.

Funds of up to NT$100,000 for the first application are available for couples having trouble conceiving, while lower-income applicants can receive up to NT$150,000 each time they apply, Maternal and Child Health Division Deputy Director Tsai Wei-yi （蔡維誼） said.

As of Dec. 12, 87,045 applications had been approved and 67,174 recipients had already been through the IVF process and passed a funding review, he said.

Of them, 13,486 couples gave birth to 15,106 children, he added.

Rates of single-child births, full-term births and average birth weights have all also improved, showing a positive trend in maternal and child health, Tsai said.

Single-child births accounted for 88.1 percent of the total, while 75.1 percent were full-term （37 weeks or longer） and 76.2 percent weighed 2.5kg or more, he said.

The figures represent increases of 12.4 percent, 10.3 percent and 9.8 percent respectively from those before the subsidies were implemented, he added.

Multifetal births can cause complications for the mother and pose a higher risk of premature birth, low birth weight or death of the child, Tsai said.

To reduce the risks, the subsidy program was designed based on international trends and expert recommendations to limit recipients to one embryo implantation at a time for those aged 35 or younger, and two at a time for those between 36 and 44, he said.

The agency urged those thinking about having children to plan early.

If a couple has been trying unsuccessfully for at least a year, it advised seeking medical advice to ascertain the need for IVF.

Those who qualify can go to any of the 100 certified IVF clinics nationwide and apply online for the subsidy, the agency said, adding that funds would be distributed as soon as they are approved.

Those seeking additional information can visit the Health Promotion Administration Web site or call the agency’s IVF consultation hotline on （02） 2558-0900.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES