European Fertility Week 2025

Facts Forward – Education and information – a campaign dedicated to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and public information with a special emphasis on fertility-related areas.

Under the title “Facts Forward – Education and Information,” the initiative highlighted the importance of accessible, accurate, and inclusive knowledge to empower people in making informed choices about their reproductive lives.

Why Fertility Education Matters

Across Europe, infertility affects millions, yet fertility education remains patchy or nonexistent. In many countries, Comprehensive Sexuality Education is not part of the national curriculum. Where it does exist, the focus is usually on contraception and pregnancy prevention. Rarely are young people, or adults at later life stages, provided with information about:

• How fertility changes over time
• Different needs at different life stages
• The risk factors impacting fertility and reproductive health

Without this knowledge, people cannot make truly informed choices about their futures, whether that means planning for children, considering assisted reproduction, or simply understanding their own bodies.

Breaking Stigma and Building Inclusivity

Another challenge the campaign seeked to address was the stigma, discrimination, and stereotypes that still surround fertility and reproductive health. Too often, information is presented in ways that exclude certain groups or fail to use sensitive and inclusive language. This can leave many individuals, such as people facing infertility or involuntary childlessness, like singles or LGBTQ+ communities, feeling invisible or unsupported.

“Facts Forward – Education and Information” called for a shift toward educational resources and public information that are:

• Inclusive – welcoming to all identities, family models, and life paths
• Sensitive – respectful in language and messaging
• Accurate and evidence-based – free of myths, stereotypes, or bias
• Accessible across life stages – tailored to the evolving needs of adolescents, young adults, adults, and older individuals

The World We Strived For

The 2025 campaign envisioned a future where:

• Education and information are always available – no matter where you live in Europe
• Knowledge is accurate and trustworthy – empowering people to make decisions with confidence
• Resources adapt to life’s changes – recognising that needs shift with age, health, and personal circumstances
• All voices are included – ensuring representation for different audiences and life experiences

By moving “Facts Forward,” European Fertility Week 2025 aimed to inspire change in schools, healthcare systems, policymaking, and public awareness.

Small takeaway for us all

European Fertility Week 2025 reminded us that knowledge is power. Fertility education should not be a privilege, but a right that equips everyone with the tools they need to make informed, confident choices throughout life.

EFW 2025 webinar: Your body knows, do you?

The webinar held as part of our EFW2025 activities. We are delighted to invite you to watch the recording of this engaging and thought-provoking event.

This interactive session explored fertility awareness and knowledge across various stages of life, from adolescence to adulthood and beyond.

The discussion brought together leading experts and advocates in reproductive health who shared their insights on how better fertility education can empower individuals to make informed choices about their bodies and future.

Speakers:

• Irina Popova, Vice Chair, Fertility Europe
• Christiana Antoniadou Stylianos, International Reproductive Health Education Collaboration (IRHEC)
• Vassiliki Chantzakou, Chair, Mitrotita, Greece
• Professor Samir Hamamah, Professor of Developmental and Reproductive Medicine and Biology / Medical Gynaecology, France

Throughout the session, participants explored how knowledge about fertility can be relevant and empowering at every stage of life, and why open, evidence-based conversations about reproductive health are more important than ever.

Testimonial videos

Behind every policy, every programme, every campaign, there are real people. People whose lives, dreams, and choices are shaped by what they know or by what they never had the chance to learn in time. That’s why these testimonial videos from our amazing volunteers mean so much.

A special thank you goes to those who gave their faces and voices, bringing the human side of our message to life: Beate, Christina, David, Elsa, Hanneke, Julia, Nikoleta, Ofra, Sibel, Slavi, Snezhana, Sonia, Vasiliki, and all who shared their stories. Your openness and courage made a true difference.

Each story reminds us why timely, accurate information matters, how it can change the course of a life, a family, a future. When people have access to knowledge, they have the power to make informed choices, to plan, to hope. These are not just stories, they are powerful testaments to why fertility education must be open, honest, and accessible to everyone.