Professor Paul Yip from the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Social Work and Social Administration said the plan would ease concerns of people who have difficulty conceiving, but he expressed doubts over whether the plan will help lift the city’s declining birth rate.
“For those people who [have] gone through these exercises, we are not expecting to have a lot of people, and it is also quite expensive. So if we bet on…this measure [to] increase the total number of births substantially, I think it’s a bit over-optimistic.”
He emphasised that the proposal is not a “panacea” to tackle the birth rate issue, and called on people who wish to have children to do so earlier.
DAB lawmaker Nixie Lam pointed out that the proposal marks a pivotal moment in the city’s approach to reproductive healthcare.
She believes the move can help boost the success rate for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments.
“Currently, the pressure to use stored eggs within a decade often leads to a rush and costly treatment,” she said.
“With an indefinite storage period, patients can take their time and potentially lead to a higher success rate and fewer IVF cycles needed.”
She added that the proposed amendments will allow people to conduct family planning on their own terms.
