Taiwan People's Party Proposes New Taipei City "Good Pregnancy" Policies: Unlimited "Good Pregnancy" Car Rides, Green Channel for Prenatal Check-ups

(CNA Reporter Tsao Ya-yen, New Taipei City, June 30) In response to the impact of the declining birthrate, New Taipei City councilors and candidates from the Taiwan People's Party today proposed five "good pregnancy" policies, including removing the ride limit for "Good Pregnancy" cars, establishing a green channel for prenatal check-ups, and expanding eligibility for egg freezing subsidies, aiming to create a more friendly environment that encourages people in New Taipei City to dare to marry and dare to have children.

New Taipei City Councilor Chen Shih-hsuan, along with Banqiao councilor candidate Lin Tzu-yu, Zhonghe councilor candidate Chen Yi-chun, and Xizhi, Jinshan, Wanli councilor candidate Chen Yu-chieh, held a press conference today titled "New Taipei City All-Round Good Pregnancy." Chen Shih-hsuan mentioned that Taiwan's fertility rate is once again at the bottom globally in 2025. As the most populous county in Taiwan, New Taipei City has seen the number of newborns decline from 36,313 in the past decade to 15,337, a decrease of approximately 58%.

Chen Shih-hsuan pointed out that to change this phenomenon, the first policy proposed today is to maintain the existing NT$9,000 ride credit for "Good Pregnancy" cars while removing the 36-ride limit. It will also be integrated into the diverse taxi hailing system, and the usage period will be extended from 6 months postpartum to 1 year postpartum, making postpartum follow-up visits more convenient for mothers.

Chen Yu-chieh stated that as a mother, she deeply understands the inconveniences during pregnancy. Therefore, the second policy advocates for establishing a green channel for prenatal check-ups within the Taipei City Hospital system and municipal teaching hospitals to shorten waiting times for mothers. Public offices such as district offices and household registration offices will also establish priority areas for pregnant women, offering not only priority service but also dedicated assistance.

Chen Yu-chieh pointed out that during pregnancy, mothers often experience mood swings due to hormonal changes, and postpartum depression is becoming increasingly common. Therefore, in addition to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's three free psychological counseling sessions per year, the third policy is to issue "New Taipei Good Pregnancy Psychological Counseling Vouchers." Residents registered in New Taipei City who hold a mother's health handbook can receive three vouchers for free psychological counseling at designated centers and clinics.

Chen Yi-chun stated that people in Taiwan are marrying later and later, making egg freezing policies even more important. The fourth policy will emulate Hsinchu City by providing an annual subsidy of up to NT$X for AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) blood tests for women aged 25 to 40 registered in New Taipei City.

Chen Yi-chun pointed out that New Taipei City has the highest medical egg freezing subsidy in the country at NT$70,000. However, the current subsidy is only applicable to those with cancer or who have experienced a decline or loss of reproductive function due to cancer treatment. The hope is to expand the scope of subsidies in the future to include patients with severe endometriosis or those undergoing ovarian surgery.

Lin Tzu-yu stated that to create a more friendly workplace environment, the fifth policy, "Good Pregnancy Enterprise Subsidy," will provide an additional subsidy from the New Taipei City Government on top of central government subsidies. This will be a "Substitute Worker or Colleague Reward Subsidy" for small, medium, and micro enterprises within the city. Companies can apply based on the actual situation of employees taking leave for prenatal check-ups or due to pregnancy discomfort, with funds directly disbursed to the personal accounts of the substitute worker or colleagues. This will encourage pregnant women to feel comfortable taking leave during pregnancy and foster a more friendly workplace environment. (Edited by Chang Ya-ching) 1150630

Stand with facts, your every donation is a force to protect press freedom

Download the CNA "First News" APP to get the latest news in real-time

Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.