Taiwan's IVF advocates are pleased with the results of a subsidy program, but say misconceptions hurt many women's chances of success. They challenge common myths to help boost Taiwan's low birth rate and help start new families.
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00:00At age 42, Paralympic table tennis coach Cai Guilan finally became a mother this January,
00:05a dream made possible by in-vitro fertilization, or IVF.
00:09Her age lessened her chances of getting pregnant, but with her years of coaching Taiwan's Paralympians,
00:14she knows a thing or two about persevering, no matter the odds.
00:17I don't compare myself to others, and I don't care about the high or low numbers.
00:21As long as there is a way out, there is hope, just like the spirit of an athlete, persist until the end.
00:27For over three years, Taiwan has offered expanded subsidies for IVF.
00:31The medical fertility treatment has helped start thousands of families in a society where
00:34people are getting married later.
00:36It's also helped boost one of the world's lowest birth rates.
00:39IVF advocates credit the program with increasing the population by more than 20,000.
00:44But they've also found there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding IVF.
00:48These can lead to unrealistic expectations, and even hurt the chances of success.
00:53One is a misconception that high levels of the hormone AMH mean success is guaranteed.
00:58Another is too much faith in ovulation treatment.
01:00This actually makes pregnancy harder.
01:03And worst of all is too much faith in IVF itself, which can lead women to put off treatment
01:07past the golden window of opportunity.
01:23Still, there's enthusiasm around the subsidy program.
01:35Officials hope the subsidies will help more people achieve their dreams of parenthood,
01:39and help reverse a rapid population decline.
01:42Scott Huang and John Van Triest for Taiwan Plus.