Vatican to host international congress on fertility and infertility

An international congress titled ‘The Splendor of the Human: Guarding Fertility, Treating Infertility’ is scheduled to take place from October 16 to 18 in Rome. The event is hosted at the Roman headquarters of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and marks the 25th anniversary of the Paolo VI International Scientific Institute (ISI) and the 50th anniversary of the Center for Natural Fertility Regulation.

The program begins with a Mass presided over by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, followed by an audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. The official proceedings will continue at the university's auditorium with an introductory lecture by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Over three days, specialists in science, medicine, and ethics will participate in four sessions. These sessions will cover topics including the relationship between science and the transmission of life, couple fertility roadmaps, preconception health, and the challenges posed by hyper-technology and contemporary culture regarding human dignity and reproduction.