Amsterdam Reproduction & Development

As birth rates decline and populations age, the pressures on our economies, healthcare systems, and social structures are becoming increasingly evident. With rising housing costs, economic uncertainty, and barriers to starting families, the challenge of demographic change is no longer just about individual choice — it's a pressing public policy issue. 

France provides a stark example of these demographic changes. Fertility rates have dropped to their lowest levels since the aftermath of World War I, and for the first time in history, deaths outnumber births. In response, the French government unveiled a comprehensive 16-point national prevention plan on February 11, 2026. 

During the AR&D Symposium on June 4, 2026, we will explore these complex challenges together:

• What do children really need? Rethinking expectations of parenthood
  Bernadette de Bakker – Amsterdam UMC

• The Dutch fertility puzzle: numbers, trends and meaning
  Gert Stulp – University of Groningen

• Can policy make a difference? Lessons from France
  Femke Mol – Amsterdam UMC

• Reproduction under pressure: social and economic forces shaping fertility
  Lucy van de Wiel – King’s College London

• Should women carry the weight of a societal crisis?
  Alina Chakh – AVA Foundation

• The patient perspective: fertility, choice and lived experience
  Merel van den Berg and Odine van Haastert – Stichting Vruchtbaarheid

Registration is free of costs.

Register here.