Changwon Special City, First in Gyeongnam to Support Egg Freezing Procedure Costs for Unmarried Women in Changwon Style

Contributing to Overcoming Low Birthrate

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam has launched the province's first financial support program for unmarried women undergoing oocyte cryopreservation procedures, starting in June this year.

Seo Hogwan, Director of the Welfare, Women and Health Bureau, is giving a briefing.

Oocyte cryopreservation is a procedure that preserves healthy eggs by freezing them before ovarian function declines, allowing women to use them later when they wish to conceive. This procedure is intended to help women preserve their fertility.

Eligibility requirements include unmarried women aged 28 to 40 who have resided in Changwon for at least three months as of the application date, with an ovarian reserve test (AMH) result of 1.5ng/mL or lower, and a household income at or below 180% of the median income. The program covers up to 2 million KRW, or 50% of the out-of-pocket costs, for procedures such as ultrasounds, injections, medication, egg retrieval, and freezing related to oocyte cryopreservation.

Applicants must visit their local administrative welfare center with documents such as the ovarian reserve test results and health insurance payment certificates. The program is limited to 10 recipients this year and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis until the budget is exhausted.

Suh Hogwan, Director of the Welfare and Women's Health Bureau, stated, "As the first leading childbirth support policy in Gyeongnam, we will strive to increase future childbirth possibilities, contribute to reducing the population experiencing infertility, and raise the birth rate to address the low birthrate issue."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.