Efforts to Counteract Declining Portugal Population
Revised Article
Emphasizing that fertility issues have moved beyond mere statistics, Luís Vicente, President of the Portuguese Society of Reproductive Medicine, underscores Portugal's struggle to address this problem, despite immigration. "We witness a surge in infertility cases, necessitating a boost in public awareness, health promotion policies, and promoting family-friendly measures to prevent women from being compelled to delay motherhood," Vicente says.
Last year, the WHO revealed that infertility now affects one in six couples, a rise from one in ten, emphasizing the urgent need for a unified, multi-faceted approach.
The upcoming event at Belém Cultural Centre seeks to mobilize not merely medical professionals but also businesses and institutional representatives to tackle this issue collectively. The event highlights economic concerns, insufficient family planning support, and poor work conditions, pushing many to postpone parenthood, impacting the mental health of the younger generation and diminishing the desire for parenthood.
Emphasizing the significance of upstream prevention alongside infertility treatment, Vicente argues, "We cannot merely encourage women to have children earlier without offering the necessary conditions."
The event will feature companies championing family-friendly policies like flexible work schedules and hybrid work arrangements to prevent penalties for having children.
Vicente also advocates for improved access to infertility treatments, as there are no public centers in the south of the country, and policies supporting healthy lifestyles, such as regulating reproductive toxins like cannabis, which negatively impact male fertility.
A critical aspect is health literacy. "Education is key to understanding fertility," Vicente explains, highlighting that many young women are unaware of their ovarian reserve or egg freezing options. A European study revealed that 78% of women aged 30-45 were unaware of their ovarian reserve, and 70% were unfamiliar with cryopreservation.
The movement forecasts that persistently low fertility rates could exacerbate labor shortages, jeopardize social protection systems, and decrement global competitiveness. In 2024, Portugal recorded 84,650 births, a 1.2% decrease from the previous year, and one-third of those born were to foreign mothers.
By adopting public awareness campaigns, advocating for health promotion policies, promoting family-oriented measures in businesses, enhancing access to infertility treatments, and focusing on health literacy, Portugal can tackle the growing issue of infertility and safeguard its future.
- Drawing attention to the escalating issue of infertility, Portuguese Society of Reproductive Medicine President, Luís Vicente, calls for a collective effort from businesses and institutional representatives, aiming to boost public awareness, promote family-friendly measures, and address Portugal's growing infertility cases.
- In an effort to encompass a comprehensive approach, the event at Belém Cultural Centre intends to engage not only medical professionals but also businesses, discussing concerns such as economic inequalities, insufficient family planning support, and unsuitable work conditions, which contribute to the delay of parenthood, impacting mental health and the desire for parenthood.
- Recognizing the importance of upstream prevention in addition to infertility treatment, Luís Vicente stresses the need to offer women the necessary conditions before encouraging earlier motherhood.
- To counteract the potential negative effects of reproductive toxins like cannabis on male fertility, Vicente advocates for policies supporting healthy lifestyles and improved access to infertility treatments, as there are currently no public centers in the south of the country providing these services.
- In the face of decreasing birth rates, the movement advocates for public awareness campaigns, investing in health literacy efforts, such as promoting education about fertility, ovarian reserve, and egg freezing options, as a European study revealed that many women were uninformed about these matters.
