Over the last five years in the UK alone, 1 in 5 employees undergoing fertility treatment left their jobs due to insufficient support from their employers—and a further 1 million women left their workplaces because of debilitating menopausal symptoms.

These are just a couple of the stats that highlight the growing importance of workplace reproductive health benefits as an integral part of employee wellbeing. 

As the adage goes, knowledge is power and one of the best places to start is ensuring your employees have ample access to educational resources surrounding their reproductive health. 

Awareness days offer purposeful opportunities to provide employees with education and celebration over a range of important issues. This can in turn foster your organisation’s culture whilst making your employees feel seen and supported. 

This 2024, why not build some of the following key female reproductive health-focused awareness days into your internal events calendar? 

2024 Calendar of Reproductive Health Awareness Days

1. International Women’s Day

When: March 8th 2024

What: A globally recognised campaign that celebrates women’s achievements social, economic and political achievements whilst raising awareness for gender equality. 

2. National Endometriosis Action Month

When: March 2024

What: A globally recognised month of action for the 1 in 10 people assigned female at birth who suffer from the reproductive health condition endometriosis. 

3. National Infertility Awareness Week 

When: April 21st – 27th 2024

What: A UK-focused awareness week highlighting the challenges, mental and physical, faced by those struggling with infertility.

4. Black Maternal Health Week

When: April 11th – 17th 2024

What: A globally recognised week to amplify Black female voices and raise awareness for the historically higher maternal mortality rates in Black women. 

5. Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week

When: 29th – 5th May 2024

What: A global weeklong campaign dedicated to awareness around mental health struggles before, during and after pregnancy. 

6. National Women’s Health Week

When: May 12th – 15th 2024

What: A UK-focused weeklong campaign encouraging women and girls to make their health, physical and social wellbeing a priority.

7. Fibroids Awareness Month

When: July 2024

What: A globally recognised month to raise awareness about uterine fibroids that affect around 2 in 3 women.  

8. Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 

When: September 2024

What: A globally recognised month to support those who’ve been diagnosed with or indirectly affected by ovarian cancer. 

9. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Month

When: September 2024

What: A globally recognised month of action for the 1 in 10 people assigned female at birth who suffer from the reproductive health condition PCOS. 

10. Menopause Awareness Month

When: October 2024

What: A globally recognised awareness month focused on breaking the stigma surrounding menopause, including World Menopause Day on the 18th of October.

11. Baby Loss Awareness Week

When: October 9th – 15th 

What: A UK-focused week-long event dedicated to supporting those who have suffered pregnancy or infant loss. 

12. National Fertility Awareness Week

When: October 30th – 5th November

What: A UK-focused weeklong campaign initiated to raise awareness about fertility issues, treatments and reproductive health education. 

What next?

Embedding reproductive health awareness into an organisation’s event calendar is an imperative step toward fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture. The alarming statistics revealing the impact of insufficient support on employee retention underline the urgency of addressing these issues. 

By incorporating key awareness days and campaigns, such as International Women’s Day, National Endometriosis Action Month, and Menopause Awareness Month, employers can provide educational resources and celebrate the diverse aspects of female reproductive health. This not only promotes a sense of acknowledgement and support for employees but also contributes to a workplace environment that values the holistic well-being of its people. 

At Hertility, we’re shaping the future of the workplace by supporting companies to become Reproductively ResponsibleTM. One way that we do this is through a range of CPD-accredited educational workshops that focus on female fertility and reproductive health. Ultimately, our aim is to change attitudes around reproductive health, both for individuals and in the workplace, and to encourage everyone to be proactive by tracking their reproductive health. We’re calling this the Reproductive Revolution!

If you’d like to take proactive steps in this direction in 2024, get in touch – benefits@hertilityhealth.com.