Cabinet approves higher childbirth allowances to address low birth rate

Taipei, Sept. 18 (CNA) Taiwan's Cabinet on Thursday approved a new package of payouts and subsidies aimed at encouraging childbirth for Taiwanese and spouses of Taiwanese, including cash incentives of NT$100,000 (US$3,320) for each newborn, as the nation grapples with a persistently low birth rate.

The package, set to take effect in 2026, includes measures to standardize and increase childbirth allowances across different social insurance systems, Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) said at a Cabinet press briefing in Taipei.

Currently, payouts range from an average of NT$39,000 to NT$70,000 depending on the mother's employment status.

Under the new scheme, all families will receive NT$100,000 per child, with twins qualifying for NT$200,000, in addition to any birth subsidies provided by local governments, Hung said.

Additionally, the package will expand the current subsidy program for assisted reproductive treatment, said Shen Ching-fen (沈靜芬), head of the Health Promotion Administration.

According to Shen, approximately 60,000 couples have received government support since the program was launched in July 2021, resulting in more than 30,000 births.

To encourage more in vitro fertilization (IVF) -- the laboratory process of fertilizing a woman's egg with a man's sperm -- the government will cover a larger share of the cost of procedures, from the current 53 percent to 77 percent, Shen said.

For each pregnancy attempt, all women under 45 will be eligible for increased subsidies for up to three IVF treatment cycles, while the subsidies for the fourth, fifth and sixth cycles will remain unchanged, she said.

Each treatment cycle typically takes four to six weeks and involves steps from ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, laboratory fertilization and embryo transfer.

The package also includes measures subsidizing medical egg- and sperm-freezing for Taiwanese nationals aged 18 to 40 who face fertility risks from illnesses such as breast or blood cancers.

Eligible women will receive NT$70,000 and men NT$8,000 for each egg or sperm freezing procedure.

Minister without Portfolio Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said at the briefing that the package is part of the government's broader efforts to boost childbirth in Taiwan, which has one of the world's fastest-declining birth rates.

According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, Taiwan recorded 134,856 newborns in 2024, a crude birth rate of 5.76 per 1,000, marking the ninth consecutive year of decline.