Any News Campaign

Every year during the SIMS IVF Fertility Awareness Week, we look to highlight different aspects of fertility treatment and sometimes the challenges associated with it. There have been so many changes in the last year, namely the introduction of public funding for IVF, which we greatly welcome. We also wanted to highlight some of the mental health challenges around fertility treatment. 

New SIMS IVF research has revealed that 43% of people who have experienced fertility-related stigma cited feelings of low self-esteem, while 41% experienced anxiety or depression. The nationally representative research was commissioned by Sims IVF and was carried out amongst 1,000 Irish adults, seeking to understand the impact that stigma or judgement related to fertility has on individuals and couples.

To highlight the impact of fertility stigma, SIMS IVF has launched a new campaign, ‘Any News’ for Fertility Awareness Week 2024, to raise awareness of the impact seemingly harmful questions or interactions can have on people experiencing challenges when trying to conceive.

We all need to be a little more aware of our words' impact on people, especially if we do not know the hidden struggles many go through. We know that one in six heterosexual couples struggle to conceive. So, instead of asking invasive questions, perhaps the below could be more helpful.

Supportive Actions:

"A simple 'I'm here and I'm listening".

Don't ignore the topic completely. Simply say: "If you want, I will not bring it up with you, so if you want to talk, let me know."

"Would you like to go for a walk/coffee?"

Invite them to parties, family gatherings etc. Leave what they want to do up to them, and don't make the decisions for them. If they don't go, that's fine, don't put them under pressure. 

If you would like to find out more about this initiative, contact the team at communications@sims.ie