Director wins award while 8 months pregnant; doctor clarifies 'not incest'

Director Hung Chien-han recently won the Taipei Drama Award for Best Director and Best Independent Spirit Award for her work "FAMILY TRIANGLE: Two Becomes Three, Three Becomes Ten Thousand." She achieved this while eight months pregnant, a journey that has sparked public discussion.

Hung Chien-han's pregnancy was achieved through a unique process: she used sperm donated by her younger brother, Hung Wei-yao, while her partner, Tseng Jui-hsuan, provided the egg. The resulting embryo was then implanted in Hung Chien-han's uterus. This four-year quest for a child formed the core of her award-winning work.

Following the revelation of her method, prominent obstetrician Dr. Su Yi-ning addressed the controversy. He clarified that from a genetic perspective, the process does not constitute incest or close relative reproduction because the sperm and egg donors are not blood relatives. Dr. Su emphasized that while individuals may hold personal ethical views, labeling the situation as incest based on genetics is a misunderstanding of biological principles. The key factor, he explained, is the absence of a blood relationship between the gamete providers, regardless of who carries the pregnancy.