Women’s groups welcomed the Cabinet’s approval of draft amendments to the Assisted Reproduction Act, saying the changes mark significant progress for women’s reproductive autonomy.

The Cabinet on Thursday approved revisions expanding eligibility for assisted reproduction to single women aged 18 and older and to female spouses in same-sex marriages. Surrogacy — once part of earlier drafts — was removed from the current proposal due to medical, ethical and political controversy and will be handled separately.

Advocacy groups said the changes correct long-standing gaps in Taiwan’s reproductive laws, which currently restrict access to heterosexual married couples. Many single women who froze their eggs have been unable to use them unless they marry, a limitation that women’s organizations have long criticized.

Taiwan Women’s Link Founding Chairperson Huang Sue-ying (黃淑英) said the amendment effectively opens assisted reproduction to nearly all women, strengthening reproductive autonomy and potentially helping alleviate Taiwan’s demographic pressures. 

Awakening Foundation Secretary General Chyn Yu-rung (覃玉蓉) said her organization has consistently urged broader access to assisted reproduction and considers the Cabinet draft more comprehensive than previous versions.

The proposal also requires pre-procedure assessments evaluating the best interests of donor-conceived children. Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy Executive Secretary Li Jui-ping (黎璿萍) said evaluators must receive gender-equality training, noting that past public hearings included misinformation and discriminatory claims about single mothers and LGBT families.

The amendment would also expand donor information disclosure, allowing intended parents to learn limited details such as nationality, blood type and skin tone before treatment.