Everything You Need To Know About Infertility Awareness Week 2022

The issue of infertility is one that’s been surrounded by stigma for ages. But National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) urges everyone in the community to shine a light on this issue and break down barriers for those struggling with fertility issues. With seven days of advocacy and awareness events scheduled across the country, NIAW hopes to bring a message of support and solidarity to everyone in the infertility community.

Ready to get involved? Here are all the details on the 2022 National Infertility Awareness Week movement including dates, facts, and more.

When is National Infertility Awareness Week?

This year, National Infertility Awareness Week will be recognized April 24-30. The seven-day event invites both the roughly 9% of men and about 11% of women of reproductive age in the United States who suffer from infertility, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, along with their allies, a chance to make their voices heard and change the conversation surrounding this issue.

National Infertility Awareness facts

Infertility Awareness Week is the work of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. The organization was founded in 1974 with a four piece mission to:

• Promote access to care
• Advocate for coverage
• Promote access to support & community
• Share access to education

And everyone is invited to join them in this effort. Whether you wish to be on the front lines or just want to show your support, Infertility Awareness Week offers plenty of ways to get involved.

If knowledge is power, then arming yourself with some statistics regarding infertility is the best way to educate others. To that end, consider the fact that infertility is not just a female affliction; it affects men and women equally, The American Society for Reproductive Medicine reports. And it isn’t always the work of just one issue. The same organization reports that “25% of infertile couples have more than one factor that contributes to their infertility.”

Another important fact? Among heterosexual women aged 15 to 49 years with no prior births, about “1 in 5 (19%) are unable to get pregnant after one year of trying,” according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).

But even with all that up against people who face challenges in trying to grow a family, it’s important to note that only 3% of infertile couples need IVF or other advanced reproductive technologies. It turns out that 85-90% of infertility cases can be treated with medications or simpler surgical procedures, according to the Center for Reproductive Medicine.

That’s the the kind of information that can give someone struggling with these issues hope.

How to get involved in National Infertility Awareness Week

On the campaigns website, you’ll find a National Infertility Awareness Week Toolkit with detailed information on how to get involved.

Perhaps the easiest way is to Wear Orange, the movement’s color. Your vibrant look will likely lead to questions from others opening the conversation to share information on National Infertility Awareness Week.

If that’s not enough, consider hosting a Walk of Hope or joining another one. These walks are made to bring awareness to the movement and can be broadcast virtually for greater outreach. If you want to find a walk in your area, visit NIAW’s walk page with information on locations.

RESOLVE also encourages participants to get social by sharing their own infertility story online as a means of advocating for greater awareness and understanding of those who are challenged by infertility. Then tag yourself in a photo with the hashtags #NIAW #NationalInfertilityAwarenessWeek #RESOLVE.

For more guidance on taking your message online, consider the movement’s 5-day challenge, a virtual guide to sharing your story, sharing ways to change the status quo, showing of your #WearOrange outfit, sharing how the disease is different for each person, and finally sharing your own advocacy efforts.

Infertility can be an isolating experience. But there’s a huge community out there designed to help and support anyone dealing with this disease. Ready to join the National Infertility Awareness Week movement? Head over to infertilityawareness.org for all of the details on this year’s events.