TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hsinchu County has expanded fertility health support with subsidies for pre-pregnancy health checks and medical egg freezing to address later marriage, later childbirth, and declining fertility.

The county government said Wednesday the measures are intended to reduce health risks and financial pressure for residents planning to start families. County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke (楊文科) said rising maternal age in Taiwan has made early fertility planning increasingly important.

The county's Public Health Bureau said the pre-pregnancy health check subsidy is available to married couples who have not yet had their first child. At least one spouse must have been registered in Hsinchu County for at least six months.

CNA reported that each eligible couple can receive up to NT$1,500 (US$47) to cover examinations, including blood and urine tests, infectious disease screening, and semen analysis. The program is capped at 100 couples.

Separately, the county is offering a medical egg freezing subsidy for married women with cancer between the ages of 18 and 40. Eligible applicants can receive up to NT$22,000 to help preserve fertility affected by cancer treatment, per UDN.

The Public Health Bureau said the egg-freezing program is limited to 30 people and can be used only once, Hakka News reported. Both subsidy programs will run through Oct. 31 or until funding is exhausted, with applications accepted through contracted hospitals.

In 2025, the Interior Ministry’s Household Registration Department recorded 107,812 births and 200,268 deaths, Global Views reported. Surveys also show the average age of first-time mothers in Taiwan is 31.65, according to CommonWealth Education.

(Interior Ministry table)