
The Health Promotion Administration said on Thursday that the average age for first marriages and first births has risen again. That’s according to the interior ministry’s 2022 population statistics.
The average age at first marriage stands at 32.6 years for men and 30.7 years for women, compared to 32.3 and 30.4 years for men and women, respectively, in the previous year. The average age for women's first childbirth is 31.43 years, with a marginal rise in first-time mothers aged 35 and above, increasing from 31.64% in the prior year to 32.44% in 2022.
The Health Promotion Administration points out that fertility tends to decrease with age and couples should consider factors such as childbirth risks and infant health as their age increases. Director-General Wu Chao-chun (吳昭軍), says that couples should try to have children between the ages of 25 and 35.
The health ministry began implementing an in vitro fertilization (IVF) subsidy program in 2021 to relieve the financial burden for those who need IVF treatment. In two years, more than 12,000 babies have been born through the program to more than 1,800 couples.
To apply for the subsidy program, at least one spouse should hold Taiwanese citizenship and the wife should be under 45 years old. The administration recommends couples who have not conceived after regular sexual activity for over a year to seek medical consultation to identify potential issues and explore treatment options.