Opening Remarks By Minister Indranee Rajah At Voices Of Hope: Navigating Infertility Together

Good morning, everyone. It is such a pleasure to be here and to see so many friends of Fertility Support SG (FSS). I was very excited when I was asked to attend this event because it is something that I have long felt passionate about. At the National Population and Talent Division in Strategy Group, Prime Minister’s Office, we coordinate marriage and parenthood issues. For the majority of couples, marriage and parenthood come fairly easy. But there is a group where fertility and having children is more difficult. And for them, it is very important that they have support. FSS fills that space. So, it is really great to be here.

Fertility issues are not uncommon in Singapore. One of the main factors of infertility is age. As we already know, fertility declines with age for both men and women. Many Singaporeans, like other young people around the world, may choose to prioritise personal goals such as building a successful career or pursuing a passion, ahead of getting married and having children.

When a couple finally decides that they wish to start a family, they may find that they have difficulty conceiving. Fertility health issues can have a deep, emotional impact on couples and families, as I have heard from the earlier sharing, and they may struggle with the grief and disappointment of being unable to build the family that they so desperately want.

Infertility can affect any of us, and so it is important to start and normalise discussions about fertility health, and it is not something that we are used to doing in a traditional Asian society. But I think it is time we start these conversations. Today, we are fortunate to have three couples in the dialogue session who will be sharing about their personal journeys through infertility.

FSS has been working to create a safe space to have these discussions. That is really important because when you are sharing, you are opening up, and you are telling other people about some of the deepest emotional feelings that you have had. Some of these journeys are difficult, so it is very important that you have a safe space.

Recently, they have taken on the management of charity organisation I Love Children, which is also one of our Made For Families partners. We are thankful for the work of community partners like FSS in reaching out and encouraging young couples to seek help early. And it is not just about seeking help. Awareness is important as well.

On the part of the Government, we are committed to supporting those who wish to start and build their families, but struggle with fertility health. Financial support such as co-funding for Assisted Conception Procedures (ACPs) is available in public healthcare institutions. After co-funding and MediSave usage for the first ACP cycle, eight in 10 eligible Singapore Citizen (SC) couples would incur no out-of-pocket expense.

Beyond financial support, couples undergoing their IVF journey may need psychosocial support, as the journey can be emotionally stressful. Last year, MOH introduced regulatory requirements mandating Assisted Reproduction (AR) centres to offer psychosocial counseling to patients prior to any AR procedure, and to refer the patients for psychosocial counselling if assessed to be required at any point during the treatment. This is to help couples be mentally and emotionally prepared for the AR procedure. When I talk to employers about Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs), we are urging employers to be more understanding, to know that it is not just for the women who may be undergoing the treatment, but also to allow time-off for the husbands because they need to be there to support their wives.

We will continue to work with partners such as Fertility Support SG to raise awareness amongst young couples and individuals about fertility health and consider how we can better support those who are trying to conceive. So if you have ideas, thoughts, or suggestions, please let us know.

With your help, we can build a Singapore that is Made For Families. Thank you.