Fertility Europe, the pan-European organization that represents patient associations focused on infertility issues, has announced the start of the 9^th European Fertility Week 2025, 3-9 November. The campaign is taking place throughout Europe under the theme "Facts Forward – Education and Information”, with a focus on raising awareness about fertility issues and promoting accessible, accurate, and inclusive knowledge on reproductive health.

As the campaign unfolds, for the first time Bulgarian reproductive health experts will visit the town of Korca in Albania, where they will offer medical examinations, free of charge, to anyone facing reproductive problems. The initiative belongs to the I Want a Baby foundation and the Bulgarian-Albanian Friendship association in the town of Korca, with the support of Balkan Medical Clinic and Dr. Milen Vrabevski’s foundation Bulgarian Memory.

The dates are 7,8 and 9 November. There are no restrictions or special requirements but the organizers advise couples wishing to take a medical assessment to bring all personal medical documents they have as of the moment of the examination.  

“We called the campaign “Bulgaria and Albania – Together for the birth of another baby!” and I would like to say a huge “thank you” to the Bulgarian National Radio for the media partnership now and over almost 20 years with the initiatives of the I Want a Baby foundation,” said, in an interview with Radio Bulgaria, the founder of the I Want a Baby foundation Radina Velcheva and member of the BNR’s  public council, a woman who has herself covered the long road to having a baby with the help of medicine.  

How serious is the problem in this country and in Albania? According to data from NGOs in Bulgaria, almost 145,000 couples face reproductive problems. According to 2024 National Statistical Institute data for 2024, the average age for a first-time mother in Bulgaria is 27, as compared to 29,4 for the EU; in Sofia it is 31. “This is very late in view of a woman’s biological clock,” Radina Velcheva explains. In Albania 15-20% of the girls have difficulty conceiving, i.e. one in six couples who want to have a baby.

“Bulgaria is part of the overall statistics of Europe and that is very stressful – as it turns out one in six couples needs support so that they can have the baby they want. I am absolutely certain that that is so in Albania too, though I cannot provide information at the moment whether any specific sociological studies have been conducted. The only thing I can say as an advantage right now about our campaign in Albania, is the fact that the couples who sign up for medical examinations are younger and that gives them a huge chance of success.”

People nowadays find it so much easier to turn to a reproductive specialist and admit they have a problem, Radina Velcheva says. The focus has shifted from the fear and embarrassment couples experienced 15-20 years ago to awareness and decisions taken in good time now. That is why when she addresses people from Korca her words are simple and filled with love:

“I can only say that we are the new friends reaching out to them and whatever may happen, if they share their pain with us, we shall respond by giving them hope.”

The Bulgarian National Radio is media partner of the mission “Bulgaria and Albania – Together for the birth of another baby!” A team from Radio Bulgaria will be on site during the days of the campaign to keep you informed about the ongoing initiative.  

Translated and posted by Milena Daynova
Photos: BTA, zachatie.org, Facebook/ Radina Velcheva, freepik.com, pexels.com