ReproUnion returned to Folkemødet this year with its own event in the Interreg ÖKS-hosted tent, where Stine Gry Kristensen was showing real ovaries in small petri dishes.

Did you know that human ovaries are among the fastest ageing organs in the body? And that it sets biological limits? There is so much to be said about the ovaries in relation to fertility and many young women stopped by and showed genuine interest in learning about their own biology, while having thoughtful discussions.

Stine, Head of the Laboratory of Biology at Rigshospitalet, was joined by Sandra Søgaard Tøttenborg, Head of Environmental Research at Bispebjerg hospital. Together they engaged in many conversations, including about the ReproUnion innovation project investigating a hormone-free fertility solution through In Vitro Maturation (IVM), a technique where human eggs mature outside the body.

From awareness to action: (In)fertility as a societal priority

While awareness is growing, the need for action is urgent. A new report from UNFPA – The real fertility crisis, shows that one in five people globally do not expect to have the number of children they want.  “If we are serious about reversing declining birth rates, we must dare to invest in fertility – not only as a medical challenge, but as a strategic priority for welfare, innovation, and societal sustainability,” commented Anette Steenberg, CEO of Medicon Valley in her popular LinkedIn post.

Several political voices at Folkemødet echoed this call for greater attention to infertility as part of the broader Women’s Health agenda. In the debate “It’s Tough Being a Woman – Tackling Gender Inequality in Health,” MEP Stine Bosse made a striking point: infertility may be the only condition where the woman is treated, even when the underlying issue lies with the man. This is the case in approximately one third of all infertility cases.

Another third of infertility cases are due to female factors, while in the final third, the causes remain unknown. This reinforces the urgent need for continued research and data collection. ReproUnion’s Biobank and Infertility Cohort (RUBIC) stands out globally in this regard, with samples and data already collected from almost 2,000 infertile couples. The goal is to reach 5,000 couples and RUBIC holds enormous potential:
• For individuals and couples struggling to conceive
• For research and innovation in reproductive health
• For economic growth, job creation, and attracting international investment

During a debate on why women’s health continues to receive less research attention than men’s – and what can be done to close that gap, Camilla Fabricius emphasized RUBIC’s potential in this regard.

Another important debate, hosted by Aarhus University and Dansk Erhverv, drew a full audience. The session spotlighted the continued underrepresentation of women in medical research and the real-world consequences of this imbalance. MP Stinus Lindgreen made a compelling case for defining political priorities from the outset – including how we talk about health. As he pointed out: “this is not only about disease. It is about health. And we must be prepared to commit for the long term”.

VIEW PICTURES and find out more in this ReproUnion LinkedIn post.