[Exclusive] Support for Infertility Test Costs Proposed Even Before Marriage

Ministry of Health and Welfare to Detect Infertility Risks Early
From April, Essential Fertility Test Costs Supported for Couples Wishing to Conceive
Expansion to All Reproductive-Age Men and Women Under Review from Next Year

The government is promoting a plan to support testing costs so that men and women of reproductive age can easily check their infertility status regardless of marital status. This is based on the judgment that it is important to detect and prepare for risk factors that may hinder pregnancy and childbirth early in order to solve the low birthrate problem.

According to the government on the 8th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is strongly considering a plan for the state to support the costs when all men and women of reproductive age undergo ovarian function tests (AMH), gynecological ultrasounds (ovaries, uterus, etc.), and semen analysis (detailed sperm morphology test) starting next year.

A senior government official explained, "We see it as a key task to enable anyone, regardless of marital status, to identify and prepare for their infertility status in advance." Accordingly, following the project to be implemented from April this year, the plan is to allow any men and women of reproductive age to understand their ovarian age or sperm motility and prepare for infertility as early as next year.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to implement the "Pre-pregnancy Health Management Support" project from April this year, supporting the costs of ovarian function tests and semen analysis for couples hoping to conceive (including common-law and prospective couples). The core of the plan is for the government to support up to 130,000 KRW for women and up to 50,000 KRW for men for the essential fertility (reproductive health) test, the ovarian function test (AMH). Since the average cost of these tests at private hospitals is known to be 140,000 KRW (ovarian function test and gynecological ultrasound) and 50,000 KRW (semen analysis), the government effectively supports most of the testing costs.

Although the Ministry of Health and Welfare set the target for this project as couples hoping to conceive this year, it judged that the scope should be expanded so that any men and women of reproductive age can undergo these tests without financial burden. The ovarian function test is a test that assesses ovarian age to detect the possibility of infertility early. If ovarian age is diagnosed as advanced, the likelihood of difficulty in conceiving is high, so infertility can be prevented early through medical interventions such as egg freezing. Semen analysis also assesses sperm motility and count, allowing early detection of decreased activity through testing.

A Ministry of Health and Welfare official said, "It is common not to undergo testing before actively hoping to conceive," adding, "Supporting the costs can help the public continuously monitor their reproductive health."