IRHEC Network newsletter

Welcome to the International Reproductive Health Education Collaboration Network December 2024 Newsletter!

News Update:

At the end of November 2024, the IRHEC steering committee met in Brussels for a very productive in person meeting. We are very excited to share that we have just launched three brand new educational resources for the public, teachers and health professionals, to ensure everyone receives evidence-based information.

These resources include 12 information leaflets, a fertility education poster and a resource specifically designed for teachers. On the 2nd of December 2024, we launched our social media campaign to raise awareness and promote these materials which have been meticulously designed by experts in the field of human reproduction.

Please follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and X and help raise awareness by sharing our social media campaign posts: @eshre_IRHEC. For our latest news visit our website IRHEC.


Interested in joining our network?

People with an interest in reproductive health promotion are welcome to join our IRHEC Members Network. Please email your request to Randi Sylvest at randi.lykke-sylvest@regionh.dk Network members receive regular updates about IRHEC’s activities and projects. The steering committee and network members have regular online meetings during which network members are encouraged to brainstorm on future initiatives and collaborations. All network members are invited to nominate themselves to join the IRHEC Committee once those who have served their two-year term retire.

What we are currently working on:

The IRHEC steering committee members have formed three working groups. Network members who want to contribute to any of the working groups can contact Professor Joyce Harper at joyce.harper@ucl.ac.uk.

1. Education

Fertility Education Poster		Teachers’ Educational Resource		Information leaflets
Download the poster here: 9 things you should know. We hope that the public, teachers and health professionals use this poster to improve young people’s awareness of how they can protect their fertility. Currently available in twelve languages with more to follow soon.		The IRHEC has created a resource for teachers for those who teach sexual and reproductive health. It covers 10 aspects of reproductive health that should be taught in schools. We are currently developing a research protocol for a study to evaluate the acceptability and usefulness of the ‘Reproductive Health and Fertility Education’ teachers’ resource, and we hope ESHRE will fund a part-time research position to conduct this study.		Twelve information leaflets on various reproductive health topics have been co-designed with young people from the UK. They can be used by members of the public and in educational and healthcare settings. Earlier this year IRHEC also made 6 videos of people discussing their fertility journey including male infertility and endometriosis, which can be used as stand-alone educational tools or in conjunction with other educational tools.

2. Research

The research working group has established a database of published papers on topics related to fertility education which can be found here. We aim to update the database on a quarterly basis. We have also developed a page where you can read about fertility education activities in different countries and a page where you can view a broad range of fertility education resources. The research team also conducts studies with Network members who are interested in specific research topics. There are several research activities on fertility and reproductive health on social media, fertility knowledge attitudes and behaviors, across different population groups, and on understanding research gaps from a global perspective. A recently concluded research explored how Twitter (now X) is used to promote reproductive health and fertility education (Grace et al., 2024) submitted to Human Reproduction Open and currently under review.

3. Communication

The communications team manages the IRHEC Network, all our social media platforms, as well as our website. Please contact us if you would like to contribute to any of our work or have ideas for future collaborative projects. Our newsletter is published twice per year with updates on what is happening at the IRHEC.


New IRHEC Publications

Grace B, Carvahlo A, Karkatli M, Harper J, Serdarogullan M, Faardilha M. on behalf of the International Reproductive Health Education Collaboration (IRHEC). Portrayal of reproductive health and fertility education on Twitter. (2024). Human Reproduction Open, Under review.

Hammarberg K, Grace, B, Ekstrand-Ragnar M, Harper J. on behalf of the International Reproductive Health Education Collaboration (IRHEC). The International Reproductive Health Education Collaboration (IRHEC) - Where we came from and where we are going (2024). Human Fertility, Under review.


Looking ahead

We aim to focus on evaluating our progress and impact, while also developing a strong dissemination plan to extend our reach. We hope to grow the Network membership and will work on refining and strengthening IRHEC’s structure. Additionally, securing funding for both current and future research will be essential to ensure the sustainability of high-quality work within IRHEC.


Network meeting

We would like to invite you to an online IRHEC network meeting on Thursday 12 pm (CET) January 23, 2025. Here we will give you an update on our latest news and then we can brainstorm about new projects.

ESHRE Conference Paris 2025

We look forward to meeting anyone interested in our work at an open meeting at the next ESHRE annual conference which will take place from the 29th June to 2nd July 2025 in Paris. We will be announcing the details of our meeting at a later date. This is a great opportunity to hear about IRHEC’s work and bring ideas for new projects and collaborations. Don’t miss our dedicated IRHEC session during the ESHRE conference!