I am your old college I am your old college friend. We see each friend. We see each other several times a other several times a year and each time you year and each time you ask me, always in an ask me, always in an aggressive manner, why aggressive manner, why I do not want to have I do not want to have children.children.

Your question tears me Your question tears me apart and I cannot find apart and I cannot find the strength to tell you.the strength to tell you.

INFERTILITY EXISTS. INFERTILITY EXISTS.

AND IT HURTS. AND IT HURTS.

I am your office colleague. I am your office colleague. One evening, when you One evening, when you werewere leaving to take your leaving to take your child from daycare, you child from daycare, you asked me why I do not want asked me why I do not want to have children.to have children.

You were in a hurry so it You were in a hurry so it was not the time to tell you.was not the time to tell you.

INFERTILITY EXISTS. INFERTILITY EXISTS.

AND IT HURTS. AND IT HURTS.

I am your daughter’s I am your daughter’s teacher. Yesterday, when teacher. Yesterday, when you came to pick her up, we you came to pick her up, we spoke for a little while and spoke for a little while and you asked me why I do not you asked me why I do not want to have children.want to have children.

It was difficult for me to tell It was difficult for me to tell you.you.

INFERTILITY EXISTS. INFERTILITY EXISTS.

AND IT HURTS. AND IT HURTS.

I am the gynecologist that I am the gynecologist that monitored your pregnancy.monitored your pregnancy.

Towards the end, when we Towards the end, when we were setting out the last were setting out the last details for the childbirth, you details for the childbirth, you asked me why I do not want asked me why I do not want to have children.to have children.

I hesitated and believed it was I hesitated and believed it was not the place to tell you.not the place to tell you.

INFERTILITY MAKES NO CHOICES. INFERTILITY MAKES NO CHOICES.

BUT IT HURTS.BUT IT HURTS.

We are the volunteers of SOS We are the volunteers of SOS Infertilitatea Association; we are Infertilitatea Association; we are facing infertility or we have facing infertility or we have defeated it. defeated it.

One in six couples of reproductive One in six couples of reproductive age has difficulties in conceiving a age has difficulties in conceiving a child. child.

We ask you kindly do not judge We ask you kindly do not judge us, do not attack us, and do not us, do not attack us, and do not cast the stone at us! cast the stone at us!

INFERTILITY IS A MEDICAL INFERTILITY IS A MEDICAL CONDITIONCONDITION..

NOT A WHIM, NOT A WHIM,

NOT A VOLUNTARY CHOICE. NOT A VOLUNTARY CHOICE.

The European Parliament The European Parliament - notes that infertility is a medical - notes that infertility is a medical condition recognized by World condition recognized by World

Health Organization that can have Health Organization that can have severe effects such as depression;severe effects such as depression; - points out that infertility is on the - points out that infertility is on the increase and now occurs in about increase and now occurs in about

15 % of couples;15 % of couples;- therefore calls on the Member - therefore calls on the Member

States to ensure the right of couples States to ensure the right of couples to universal access to infertility to universal access to infertility

treatment. treatment.

(European Parliament (European Parliament RResolution, 2008)esolution, 2008)

INFERTILITY IS A MEDICALINFERTILITY IS A MEDICAL CONDITIONCONDITION..

NOT A WHIM, NOT A WHIM,

NOT A VOLUNTARY CHOICE. NOT A VOLUNTARY CHOICE.