TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Health Promotion Administration will allocate NT$2.7 billion (US$89.8 million) annually to expand subsidies for an in vitro fertilization program starting November, which is expected to benefit around 30,000 couples.

The subsidy is available to women up to age 45. First-time applicants for a first child may receive up to NT$150,000, while the maximum subsidy for a second or subsequent child is NT$100,000.

The new subsidy program can cover about 77% of medical expenses, the administration said. It emphasized that age is a key factor affecting fertility and the success rate of IVF, per CNA. The agency also recommended that women between the ages of 25 and 35 should conceive or seek infertility treatment.

Citing 2022 data, the administration noted that IVF success rates decline significantly with age. The rates were 32.6% at age 30, 28.6% at age 35, 19.1% at age 40, and less than 10% after age 43.

Tzeng Chii-ruey (曾啟瑞), an obstetrician-gynecologist at Taipei Fertility Center, said the quality of a woman's eggs declines after 35. He added that as a woman's age increases, so do the risks during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, premature birth, and complications involving early separation of the placenta.

According to the health ministry, since the subsidy program was launched in 2021 and up until August, NT$7.4 billion has been granted. The funding has helped around 63,000 couples complete 113,000 treatment cycles, resulting in 30,000 babies born to 26,000 couples. Of those, 1,100 couples went on to use the subsidy again to have a second child.

The Ministry of Interior reported that 8,464 babies were born in Taiwan in August, a 27.3% decrease compared to the same month last year and a 5.3% drop from July. The number of deaths in August reached 15,226, marking the 56th straight month in which deaths outnumbered births.