Taiwan’s birthrate likely continued to decline last year despite it being the Year of the Dragon, which is believed by some people to bring good fortune and greatness.
There are typically more babies born during a Year of the Dragon in Taiwan.
Birthrates in the past three dragon years have been higher than the surrounding years.
Photo: Huang Cheng-chia, Taipei Times
In the previous Year of the Dragon, 2012, there were 229,400 births, a 16.7 percent increase from the previous year.
In 2013, the number of births dropped below 200,000, showing that the Year of the Dragon produced a spike in the birthrate.
As of November last year, there were 122,360 births, Ministry of the Interior data showed.
To surpass 2023’s birthrate, at least 13,211 babies would need to have been born last month, which was unlikely.
This means that the birthrate likely declined for the ninth consecutive year.
Cathay General Hospital reported only three New Year’s babies born yesterday, with seven women still in labor.
Lee Women’s Hospital in Taichung reported only two New Year’s babies.
As people get married and have children later than they used to, a declining birthrate is inevitable, Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology chairman Huang Chien-pei (黃建霈) said.
In the past, Taiwanese typically got married in their 20s and had more than 20 years to have children, Huang said.
Now people typically get married in their 30s, with an increasing number getting married later or not at all, he said.
People getting married later and having less time than before to have children have led to a decrease in pregnancy rate, he added.
The declining birthrate has also negatively affected the talent shortage in the pediatric, obstetrics and gynecology specialties, Huang said.
The enrollment rate has dropped by 30 to 40 percent for pediatrics, and by about 10 percent for obstetrics and gynecology, he said.
The number of doctors focusing on obstetrics is decreasing annually, he added.
To face the declining birthrate, mothers must receive comprehensive care during prenatal checkups, delivery and postpartum, Huang said.
Prenatal care in Taiwan focuses on physical health, while mental health and postpartum care are underdeveloped, he said.
Stress during pregnancy and postpartum can significantly impact the health of the baby and mother, he added.
The government should invest in resources to provide more comprehensive support to pregnant women and mothers, Huang said.
If fathers learn how to better support their partners, it would also help improve overall family health, he said.
Comprehensive support measures, including mental and physical healthcare, and economic assistance policies, can positively impact the birthrate, he said.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
RSS