TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Lee Maw-sheng (李茂盛), founder and superintendent of Lee Women's Hospital (茂盛醫院), expressed hope on Tuesday (Aug. 20) that the future amendment to the Assisted Reproduction Act (ARA, 人工生殖法) will boost Taiwan's birth rate by 3%.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW, 衛生福利部) announced an amendment to the ARA on May 14, aiming to include same-sex couples, single women, and surrogate mothers.
Lee noted that in vitro fertilization (IVF) has already contributed 5% to 8% of Taiwan's birth rate. He believes the amendment's inclusion of single women, same-sex couples, and surrogate mothers could further increase the birth rate by 3%.
Lee pointed out that including surrogacy in the amendment would be more controversial. The issues include constitutional problems, emotional bonds between surrogate mothers and children, and concerns about potential misuse of surrogacy, such as "commercial wombs" and orphaned children. He supports the inclusion of surrogacy but emphasizes the need for strict regulations.
The draft amendment, announced on May 14, aims to protect the rights of surrogate mothers, spouses, and unmarried women undergoing assisted reproduction. This measure seeks to ensure their rights remain safeguarded.
Since July 2021, Taiwan has implemented a subsidy program for infertility treatments, including IVF. By July 31, 2024, the program had successfully helped more than 18,000 infertile couples welcome over 20,000 IVF babies.