Will Science Alone Save Your Fertility?
Meeting Report on the Fertility Awareness Conference held in Malta on the 16th February and the Fertility Awareness Round-table meeting held in Gozo on the 17th February 2024
Abstract
This paper highlights the pressing need for increased awareness and education regarding reproductive health and fertility issues in the Maltese Islands. Despite living in the age of information, misconceptions and misinformation persist, particularly surrounding basic reproductive health knowledge. To address this gap, two conferences on fertility awareness were organized in Malta and Gozo as part of ‘The 3 Missions’ Project, in collaboration with the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector and Dar Guzeppa Debono Association. The conferences brought together various stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, policymakers, and educators, to discuss topics such as normal reproductive cycles, infertility treatments, and the legal framework surrounding assisted reproductive technologies (ART). International perspectives were also provided, shedding light on perceptions and practices in other European countries. Key recommendations emerged from these discussions, emphasizing the importance of standardized terminology, user-friendly information dissemination, and the destigmatization of infertility. Furthermore, the paper underscores the need for preconception parenthood preparation and highlights the psychological and social implications of infertility and parenthood. Overall, the conferences served as a platform to raise awareness and initiate collaborative efforts to address fertility-related challenges in the Maltese community.
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