Reproductive health awareness initiatives in Italy

Italy has seen the introduction of reproductive health awareness and screening initiatives focused on ovarian reserve.

An initial national campaign, ‘PreServe your future – Tutela la salute riproduttiva’, utilized a mobile medical camper to visit five cities. Supported by Ibsa Italy and several scientific societies, the program offered free Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) testing for women aged 25 to 35 to assess fertility and provide counseling.

Following this, the Basilicata Region and San Carlo Hospital in Potenza launched a specific regional initiative titled ‘Screening riserva ovarica – Il futuro è oggi’. This program provides free AMH blood tests to women residing in Basilicata to assist in informed decision-making regarding future motherhood.

Recent developments regarding the Basilicata campaign highlight its role in providing scientific awareness regarding the biological clock. While the screening offers knowledge, discussions continue regarding the necessity of economic support for ‘social freezing’ (egg freezing) to assist women facing potential infertility due to delayed motherhood. This initiative arrives amid broader demographic trends in Italy, including declining birth rates and an increasing average age of motherhood, which reached 32.6 years in 2024. Factors such as economic instability, high living costs, and career pursuits are noted as contributors to delayed childbearing, leading to a growing reliance on medical technologies to manage fertility.