Taipei: The average age of first-time mothers in Taiwan reached 31.65 in 2024, marking a substantial increase from the average age two decades ago, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) reported on Wednesday.
According to Focus Taiwan, the average age at first birth for Taiwanese mothers increased by 4.26 years from 27.39 years in 2004, as highlighted by data from the Ministry of the Interior. Furthermore, over 30 percent of births in 2024 were classified as “advanced maternal age” births, where the mothers were aged 35 or above.
The HPA also noted that among women having their second child, 37 percent were aged 35 or above, representing a 10 percentage point increase from 2014. This shift is seen as part of a broader societal trend of marrying later and delaying childbearing.
The HPA, which operates under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, advised couples to consider having children at a suitable age, cautioning that procedures like egg freezing and IVF could involve complications. Government data from 2023 revealed that for 36-year-old women, the successful implantation rate after one IVF cycle was 29.9 percent, with a live birth rate of 23.4 percent. However, for 44-year-old women, the successful implantation rate dropped to 9.3 percent, and the live birth rate to 5.6 percent.
The agency emphasized that freezing eggs does not mitigate the risks associated with advanced maternal age pregnancies, such as increased chances of miscarriage, premature birth, birth defects, and low birth weight. Additionally, older maternal age is linked with higher risks of gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes.
Moreover, men over age 40 face higher rates of poor sperm quality and chromosomal abnormalities, complicating conception. Fathers over age 45 have been associated with higher rates of gestational diabetes in their partners and increased risks of autism, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia in their children.
The HPA recommended that the ideal age range for women to have children is between 25 and 35, while men should aim to conceive before the age of 40. Under the IVF subsidy rules effective from Nov. 1, those undergoing their first IVF attempt for each pregnancy may receive a subsidy of up to NT$150,000 (US$4,802) if under age 39, and up to NT$130,000 if aged 39 to 44.
