O-111 The International Fertility Education Initiative

Abstract

Awareness Raising. The International Fertility Education Initiative Jacques de Mouzon, Joyce Harper, Karin Hammarberg, and the IFEI group Clearly, from the international reports on Assisted reproductive technology, more and more patients go to be treated by ART everywhere in the World, even in the richest countries where access is not limited by economic constraints. At the same time, there is a large tendency of maternal age increase at conception and birth, whereas it is well known that there is a fertility decline both with women's and men's age. It clearly appears that one driver concerns the lack of awareness of people of reproductive age on the factors affecting the chance of conceiving and of getting a healthy baby. Thus, to improve fertility awareness in the public, a group of 45 specialists in infertility from about twenty countries met in 2020 and decided to launch an initiative, together with patients' associations, the International Fertility Education initiative (IFEI). The group includes experts of various scientific fields: clinicians, nurses / midwifes, scientists, psychologists, ethicists, public health, patients. The chair is Pr. Joyce Harper, who was at the initiative of this initiative The IFEI objectives and creation were published in Human Reproduction open in 2021. Objectives include research and actions to improve fertility awareness. The mission can be summarized as follows: To increase fertility awareness using the life course approach, in order to improve reproductive health and facilitate decision-making in family planning among adolescents, people of reproductive age, primary healthcare, education professionals, and policymakers through development, evaluation and dissemination of inclusive educational resources. Four strategic goals have been identified * Conduct research to generate evidence about people's knowledge, attitudes and behaviours relating to fertility and family formation in different countries. * Based on identified knowledge gaps and using co-design principles, develop educational resources for the public and health and education professionals that aim to be inclusive of all communities. * Evaluate the educational resources to establish their acceptability, salience, comprehensibility, and effectiveness in improving knowledge and inclusivity. * Promote the inclusion of fertility education in health and education policy and practice and advocate for a government sponsored fertility health education Program in every country. 5 working groups have been designed to cover the mission and strategic goals: * Publications * Language and inclusivity * Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours * Develop educational resources * Evaluation of educational resources IFEI has regular meetings where each group progresses are discussed. The groups advancements will be presented at the ESHRE annual meeting in Milano, during the special session entitled Awareness Raising. In 2021, IFEI has established links with ESHRE, under the umbrella of the special interest group Global and Socio-cultural Aspects of Infertility. In 2022, links are being established also with IFFS and FIGO, to develop a consistent action. In conclusion, IFEI is rapidly progressing towards its objectives and several countries has already developed specific national action plans that are consistent with the general aim on fertility awareness.