International Fertility Experts Call on Employers to Address Declining Birth Rates

Fertility specialists worldwide are urging businesses to take immediate steps to support employees’ fertility health amid falling birth rates. The International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS) has launched its More Joy campaign, which outlines eight practical measures employers can implement to improve work-life balance and fertility support within the workplace.

In collaboration with Uganda’s Rainbow Hearts Foundation (RHF), the IFFS is conducting a pilot project involving three Ugandan companies to test how these workplace policies can be effectively applied.

“Fertility challenges are one of the biggest demographic and workforce issues of our time,” stated Dr Marcos Horton, president of the IFFS. He noted that although Uganda’s total fertility rate remains relatively high at 4.28 in 2023, it has dropped significantly from 6.79 in 2000, mirroring global trends. “Supporting employees to start or grow families requires more than medical solutions. Workplaces that empower families to thrive are just as crucial,” he added.

Phiona N. Ngoga, founder and director of RHF, emphasised the varied impact of fertility issues across regions. “Fertility challenges affect people worldwide, but experiences vary by region. National birth rates reflect averages, not every family’s reality. Providing clear guidance, flexibility, and understanding in the workplace can make a real difference for employees navigating infertility, it’s about helping them thrive, not just cope,” she said.

Ngoga further highlighted the importance of collaboration, stating, “Infertility is a workforce issue everywhere. Employers, policymakers, and community leaders must collaborate to ensure equitable access, informed policies, and supportive environments for anyone trying to start or grow a family.”

The More Joy campaign aims to raise global awareness of infertility while promoting accessible, affordable, and equitable fertility care. Falling fertility rates worldwide, averaging 2.3 children per woman in 2023 and dipping below the replacement level of 2.1 in some countries, pose risks to future populations and economies. By 2050, shrinking workforces could strain healthcare systems, pension schemes, and economic stability.

The IFFS’s family-friendly framework recommends that employers adopt at least five of eight key benefits, including flexible working arrangements, enhanced parental leave, and childcare support. The suggested benefits are:

• Equal opportunities for employees wishing to start a family
• Paid time off for fertility therapy
• Insurance coverage or reimbursement for fertility treatments, including assisted reproductive techniques
• Paid parental leave for new parents and for every child born or adopted
• Childcare support, such as on-site facilities, subsidies, or nursing/parental rooms
• Health coverage plans that include employees’ children
• Flexible work arrangements and hours
• Housing assistance or support for affordable housing programmes

Based in Kampala, the Rainbow Hearts Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving health and well-being for individuals facing infertility, particularly where access to fertility care and workplace support is limited.

The IFFS unites over 65 national fertility societies and represents approximately 50,000 fertility and sterility specialists worldwide under one umbrella organisation.