Reform proposed for fertility rules

Phoebe Poon and Jamie Liu

The council regulating reproductive technologies proposed canceling the 10-year maximum storage period of eggs, sperm and embryos and related age restrictions as it began consulting stakeholders on fertility rules yesterday.

In proposals to amend the Code of Practice on Reproductive Technology and Embryo Research, the Council on Human Reproductive Technology suggested lifting the legal restrictions on the storage period of gametes or embryos for own use.

This would apply to any patient - regardless of gender, age, or medical conditions.

The council also wanted to update the code to ensure people understand the medical risk associated with unnecessary and prolonged storage of gametes or embryos without medical reasons.

Licensed centers must provide patients with relevant reproductive information, and patients are required to sign a consent form confirming that they have received and understood the provided details.

They include the risks of egg-retrieval procedures, the rapid decline in fertility or pregnancy rate associated with aging of women, the risks of advanced maternal age, and the social impacts of delayed childbearing.

Furthermore, the centers must provide tailored counseling for patients after a certain length of time, along with obtaining the patient's written consent if an extension of the storage period is needed.

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong lawmaker Nixie Lam Lam supported the amendment, calling it a "forward-looking" policy change.

She said it would give women more room to make autonomous reproductive decisions, and couples who want kids will get more time to make advance planning, such as seeking medical assistance, while not burdening government finances.

Lam also saw the economic potential of the local fertility medical services, saying that the policy would not only encourage local women to stay in Hong Kong for treatment, but also attract overseas patients to seek medical care in the city.

Lawmaker Judy Chan Ka-pui of the New People's Party welcomed the proposed amendment, noting an increase in late marriages and the growing acceptance of preserving gametes or embryos for personal use in the city.