Egg Donation in Taiwan
Contents
Summary of Egg Donation in Taiwan
Is Egg Donation Legal in Taiwan?
Availability of Donor Eggs, Sperm, and Embryos in Taiwan
Egg Donor Compensation in Taiwan
Anonymous, Open, and Known Donation in Taiwan
Surrogacy in Taiwan
Can LGBTQIA+ Couples Use IVF in Taiwan?
Can Single Women Use IVF in Taiwan?
How to Choose an IVF Clinic in Taiwan
Average Costs of IVF with Donor Eggs or Sperm in Taiwan
Legal Assistance and Counseling for Intended Parents in Taiwan
Summary of Egg Donation in Taiwan
Following the Artificial Reproduction Act in 2007, which allowed egg and sperm donation for heterosexual married couples, Taiwan became a preferred destination for couples seeking these services in Asia, particularly from mainland China and from Japan. Access to high quality IVF clinics is widespread, with the Taiwan Society for Reproductive Medicine listing over 90 clinics or hospitals on their website in 2024.
There are no age restrictions for intended parents in Taiwan. Egg and sperm donation is legal for heterosexual married couples that meet certain conditions. Surrogacy is not legal.
Is Egg Donation Legal in Taiwan?
Yes: In Taiwan, compensation for costs associated by gamete donors has been legal since the Assisted Reproduction Act (2007).
In order for a clinic to perform assisted reproduction, the couple must be heterosexual, married, and meet the following conditions: (1) The results of testing and assessment implemented in accordance with Article 7 confirm suitability to receive assisted reproduction. (2) The husband or wife of the married couple has been diagnosed as suffering from infertility, or has been diagnosed as suffering from a major hereditary disease designated by the competent authority, and it is suspected that natural conception and birth will cause abnormal children. (3) At least one member of the married couple possesses healthy reproductive cells, and that person has no need accepting donated sperm or oocytes.
Written consent is required from the husband or wife in the use of gamete donation prior to treatment; the husband’s written consent is required for sperm donation, while the wife’s written consent is required for egg donation. The written consent must be notarized by a notary public.
All donor gamete recipients must receive approval from the government prior to being approved to receive donor gametes. This process may take up to a month. Foreigners must provide an original marriage certificate and authentication paper from Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative’s Office in the country that issued the marriage license.
Availability of Donor Eggs and Sperm in Taiwan
Many IVF clinics in Taiwan have donor egg and sperm programmes, either in-house fresh donation programme, or through a frozen egg or sperm bank. Some clinics offer only fresh egg donation cycles, while some offer only frozen; it is best to check with your particular clinic.
All donors will be Taiwanese, living in Taiwan. Below are the criteria established by the Assisted Reproduction Act. Note that many clinics have additional criteria or screening processes for donors. For example, some clinics only accept donors between 20 and 30 years of age, while others screen for certain appearance traits.
Egg donors must be:
Women at least 20 and less than 40 years of age.
The results of testing and assessment confirm the suitability of the donor.
The donor agrees to donate without compensation.
The donor has never donated sperm or oocytes before, or the donor's previously donated reproductive cells never helped any recipient couple complete live birth and were not stored.
Intended parents can make a request for the donor’s race, skin color, blood type, as well as single or double eyelid. Intended parents can also provide photos of the face of the wife for matching.
Sperm donors must be:
Men at least 20 and less than 50 years of age;
The results of testing and assessment confirm the suitability of the donor.
The donor agrees to donate without compensation.
The donor has never donated sperm or oocytes before, or the donor's previously donated reproductive cells never helped any recipient couple complete live birth and were not stored.
Each donor is limited to donation leading to only one live birth. Each donation requires approval from the government. The IVF clinic should help intended parents arrange for this approval prior to starting treatment.
Egg Donor Compensation in Taiwan
The Assisted Reproduction Act does not allow commercialized donation, but does allow for ‘nutritional compensations’ to both sperm and egg donors. It is stipulated that an egg donor can receive nutritional allowance via the IVF clinic ranging from NT$50,000 to NT$100,000 (around USD 1,600 to USD 3,200) but is prohibited from making further donations for the rest of her life, once a single live birth has been achieved using her donated eggs. If no live birth has resulted from her donated eggs, there is no limit to the number of donation cycles that she can undergo. In addition, the intended parents are usually expected to pay for testing, medical, and transportation expenses. These costs should all be reflected in the amount charged by the IVF clinic to the intended parents.
Anonymous, Open, and Known Donation in Taiwan
Under that law, donors are anonymous and intended parents are not allowed to see donor information. Donor privacy is complete during the process, and identifiable information is never disclosed. Open donation is not an option.
Donor‐conceived individuals can ask public officials before marriage whether intermarriage (marriage to a relative) will happen.
So-called ‘known’ donors, such as friends or family members, do not seem to be permitted in Taiwan.
Surrogacy in Taiwan
Surrogacy is not allowed under the Assisted Reproduction Act.
Can LGBTQIA+ Couples Use IVF in Taiwan?
Same sex marriage is not legal in Taiwan. Same-sex couples wishing to undergo IVF or IUI are forbidden from doing so, which applies to nationals and to foreign couples, even with a legal marriage license from a foreign country.
Can Single Women Use IVF in Taiwan?
Single women cannot undergo IVF with their own or donor eggs in Taiwan. Though single women in Taiwan can freeze their eggs, unlike in China where it is banned, it is only legal to use the eggs in a heterosexual marriage, which excludes unmarried women.
Choosing an IVF Clinic in Taiwan
The certifying body for clinics in Taiwan is the Ministry of Health and Welfare. They set standards and give awards to medical centers annually.
Look for clinics that are listed through the Taiwan Society of Reproductive Medicine and doctors that are affiliated with the group.
Average costs of IVF with Egg or Sperm Donation in Taiwan
Many clinics offer packages with all medical costs, fresh or frozen donor eggs, and a transfer for around USD 15,000 to USD 20,000.
Legal Assistance and Counseling for Intended Parents in Taiwan
Clinics assist couples to submit applications for legal approvals by the government for gamete donation. Some clinics in Taiwan offer in-house counseling programmes with social workers or psychotherapists.
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As a reminder, this website is not a substitute for professional legal and medical advice. Please seek the advice of your doctor and lawyer to verify the information that we provide.
