According to a European study, young Portuguese people consider their knowledge about reproductive health to be limited but show great interest in learning more.

“It makes perfect sense to review reproductive health content and include it in secondary school curricula in Portugal,” said Ana Galhardo, one of the Portuguese researchers on the project.

The Fertility Awareness Project is an initiative developed by Fertility Europe and national associations in Bulgaria, Norway, Poland and in the case of Portugal, by the Portuguese Fertility Association, to respond to problems of infertility and European demographic decline.

The results, which will be presented to the European Parliament in March, contain data relevant to public policies that increase reproductive health literacy.

“Including the topic in the programs will not only be an educational measure but also a tool for young Portuguese people to be able to have the children they want, with autonomy”, defended the psychologist, researcher and professor at the Instituto Superior Miguel Torga, in Coimbra.

According to Ana Galhardo, the idea emerged from the first phase of this study that teenagers in Portugal are interested in knowing more about their fertility and the factors that can influence it.

“It is part of the comprehensive education of new generations to enable them to make conscious decisions about their reproductive life, in a context of growing concern about the demographic evolution of Europe and, above all, of Portugal”, she maintained.

The study, which involved adolescents between 15 and 18 years old, highlighted the importance of understanding factors that influence fertility, such as age, lifestyles and sexual and reproductive health, for informed decisions.

“Despite considering their initial knowledge to be limited, young people demonstrated great interest in delving deeper into the topic,” she indicated.

The study also points out that it is essential to educate adolescents, of both sexes, about fertility and factors that affect it, particularly those related to lifestyle: alcohol and tobacco consumption, drugs, physical exercise, obesity or low weight and sexually transmitted infections.

“Including this topic in school curricula is not just an educational measure: it can also be a decisive tool for young people to manage their reproductive health with decision-making autonomy and be able to have the children they want,” she argued.

Decline in births

Ana Galhardo also warned of a record 5.5% decline in births in the European Union in 2023, “the lowest level in the last decade, according to Eurostat”.

“Educating young people about reproductive health and fertility is one of the essential measures to reverse this scenario and ensure a sustainable demographic recovery in Europe,” she said.

The project also allowed the development of the educational game FActs!, created by Fertility Europe, with the support of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology, and which “combines entertainment with active learning, helping young people to deepen their knowledge about fertility in an engaging and interactive way”.

In this context, the participating teenagers highlighted the effectiveness of digital approaches, such as educational games and online platforms, to make the topic more attractive.

In Portugal, young people considered FActs! an “excellent learning initiative”, valuing aspects such as competitiveness, graphic design, playful elements and the provision of a website with additional information.

“The inclusion of reproductive health topics in formal education not only contributes to the prevention of problems such as infertility but also reduces costs for health systems and supports families in achieving their reproductive goals,” she concluded.