Involuntary childlessness, including infertility as a medical issue, is a pressing challenge for European societies. Infertility, defined as the inability to conceive after 12 months of unprotected sexual intercourse, affects more than 1 in 6 Europeans of reproductive age. Involuntary childlessness, on the other hand, extends beyond medical definitions, affecting individuals and couples struggling to conceive due to various reasons, including medical, social, or personal factors.

Europe cannot afford to leave those in need of fertility care behind. In fact, many individuals aspire to have children but cannot due to a lack of institutional and structural support, the impossibility of reconciling family and work, and no access to fertility treatment. It is imperative for states to ensure these preventable and addressable challenges do not hinder these aspirations.

Involuntary childlessness is also a complex socio-economic problem that interacts with many other factors and has gender-specific impacts. Hence, our advocacy is driven by the need for policies that are not only comprehensive but also intersectional, recognising the diversity of those affected by involuntary childlessness.

We must recognise the lived experiences of individuals with medical conditions like cancer, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and others affecting male infertility, as well as that of minorities and discriminated groups, such as persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and people of colour.

There are significant discrepancies in access to fertility care, influenced by legal, financial, educational, infrastructural, and psychosocial factors. Discrimination, a lack of proper legal frameworks, a general lack of funding, and insufficient knowledge about fertility and fertility preservation, particularly among young people and cancer patients, exacerbate these challenges. Moreover, dire economies and the climate crisis are creating uncertainty, which may lead people to give up their dream of having a family or delay childbearing to an age where conceiving becomes increasingly difficult.

The implications of involuntary childlessness are profound and impact every aspect of a person’s life, such as their mental health, relationships and work. Thus, this multifaceted challenge demands a bold, unified, and politically firm response. The envisioned policies must be geared towards enhancing access to comprehensive sexuality education, prevention, diagnosis and ensuring equal access to safe and effective fertility treatments, as well as psychosocial care. Whether arising from medical, genetic, environmental, or other factors, infertility is an unabating challenge requiring prompt regulatory intervention.

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