A Two-Year Wait: A Chinese Couple’s Journey to Parenthood Across the Strait

Stepping off the plane from Xiamen last May, Ms. Wang was overcome with emotion. Traveling alone with her luggage, she felt incredibly grateful to finally return to Taiwan for treatment. It had been exactly two years and four months since her last visit! As a 32-year-old teacher married for four years, she had struggled to conceive. "I experienced two natural pregnancies, but both times the baby had no heartbeat. After examinations at a military hospital in Fuzhou, genetic specialists discovered chromosomal abnormalities and recommended an egg donation IVF cycle. Being married to an only son, the constant, well-meaning pressure from my in-laws was overwhelming." Since egg donation remains illegal in China, she began searching online and decided to seek reproductive care overseas.

Overcoming Visa Cancellations and Pandemic Border Controls

Initially, Ms. Wang and her husband considered Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. "My husband felt Thailand's demographics were too complex and expensive, while Hong Kong posed language barriers. Therefore, I asked relatives in Taipei to look into local fertility clinics, and we ultimately chose Lee Women's Hospital, renowned for its reproductive expertise, in July 2019." However, just as China announced the suspension of independent travel visas to Taiwan, the couple rushed to extend their permits, successfully arriving that November for sperm cryopreservation. In December, accompanied by her aunt, Ms. Wang returned for her first embryo transfer on New Year's Day 2020. Unfortunately, the transfer was unsuccessful, and the the sudden outbreak of COVID-19, coupled with global border restrictions, abruptly halted her newly started IVF journey.

During the first year of the pandemic, Ms. Wang felt trapped in Xiamen. In December 2020, Ms. Stacy Ni, Head of the International Affairs Department at Lee Women's Hospital, notified her that Taiwan was opening medical visa applications for past fertility patients. Yet,border controls tightened again the following month due to rising cases. Her cross-strait journey became increasingly perilous as Taiwan entered a Level 3 alert, locking its borders until the following year.

Achieving the Dream with Precise and Compassionate Medical Care

The turning point came when Taiwan reopened entry for international fertility patients with prior treatment records. The International Medical Department at Lee Women's Hospital swiftly assisted Ms. Wang with her application. After waiting more than two years, she finally stepped back into the hospital.

To maximize the pregnancy rate, Dr. Chun-I, Lee performed a hysteroscopy, discovered uterine polyps, and successfully removed them before proceeding with the frozen embryo transfer. While the first attempt failed, the second transfer resulted in a successful implantation. Upon confirming the pregnancy, Dr. Lee prescribed comprehensive luteal support medications for her to take back home. Ms. Wang finally returned to Xiamen with a joyful heart, carrying her twins to reunite with her husband and family, bringing a beautiful, triumphant conclusion to her tumultuous journey.