Gathering of 3,000 people born through IVF sets new record

Taipei, Nov. 3 (CNA) More than 3,000 people, all conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) at Lee Women's Hospital, gathered Sunday to set a Guinness World Record and showcase Taiwan's advanced reproductive technology.

They may have broken the record for "largest gathering of people born as a result of in vitro fertilization," which was previously set by the hospital in 2011 at 1,232 people, pending confirmation by Guinness World Records Ltd.

No specific number for those in attendance was provided by the organizer of the event, so it remains unclear what number will be submitted to Guinness as the new record.

The roughly 3,000 people who showed up, from newborns to people in their thirties, are a small fraction of the 20,000 babies that have been conceived through assisted reproductive technology at the hospital, which is led by Dr. Lee Maw-sheng (李茂盛), a pioneer in the field in Taiwan.

Under his leadership, the hospital has aided couples from 36 countries across the world, including the U.S., Canada, Japan and the Philippines, according to the hospital.

Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), who attended the event, lauded the medical facility for using a creative way to showcase Taiwan's advanced medical technology.