LAUSR

Over the past 50 years, birth rates have steadily declined while infertility rates have risen across Europe. As a result, fertility and infertility have become pressing concerns for scientists, policymakers, NGOs, and other stakeholders. Fertility Europe and ESHRE are deeply committed to addressing these issues and are actively working toward solutions. The initiative presented here is a collaborative project between Fertility Europe and ESHRE, aimed at assessing fertility awareness among European youth. The objectives are to emphasize the need of enhanced fertility education and to propose effective solutions and strategies to increase awareness on fertility. Fertility awareness refers to the extent of knowledge and understanding within society about the human reproductive system and fertility life cycle, including potential threats to reproductive health and ways to safeguard it throughout different life stages. A sufficient level of fertility awareness allows individuals to make informed choices regarding reproductive health, lifestyle, and family planning, thereby reducing the risks of infertility and the long-term costs associated with infertility treatments. Adolescence is a critical developmental period in which physiological changes and social influences can have a long-lasting impact on health and behavior. Educating teenagers about reproductive health and fertility during this period allows them to make informed decisions later in life and can help prevent future issues related to infertility. However, many young individuals lack adequate education about their fertility, often receiving only limited information during their school years. It is essential to address this knowledge gap early on. The project includes the development of an innovative digital platform featuring a fertility awareness survey incorporated into a serious educational game, along with an information library tailored for teenagers and educators. The pilot phase of the project, which spanned three years, involved the development of the digital platform and the dissemination of the serious educational game among teenagers aged 15 to 18 in five European countries. Survey findings regarding fertility awareness levels among European youth highlight concerning trends, underscoring the critical need to integrate comprehensive reproductive health education into school curricula and to create innovative digital solutions that effectively engage this demographic.