Why Orange Represents Fertility and Infertility Awareness

Colors have meaning, and orange is one of the most recognized colors in fertility and infertility awareness around the world.

This didn’t happen overnight, though.

Since 1989, orange has been the official color of the National Infertility Awareness Week, an initiative championed by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.

Today, it’s an all-encompassing symbol for visibility, compassion, and support for the one in six people worldwide who stare down the tough challenges of infertility, according to the WHO.

The Symbolism of Orange

In color psychology, orange combines the fiery drive of red with the brightness of yellow. It conveys energy, optimism, and warmth, all life-affirming qualities for individuals taking the fertility plunge.  

The connection between orange and fertility is storied and symbolic: In many spiritual systems, the shade represents the sacral chakra, ruler of creativity, self-expression and reproduction. It’s also been linked to harvests and new beginnings.

All in all, orange is a colorful reminder of movement, balance, and life in motion.

Orange and Fertility: The Connection

Yes, orange and fertility are symbolically connected, but also emotionally. Studies in color psychology link orange to more energy, confidence, and better recovery after emotional setbacks – all helpful traits to have during infertility treatments.

The color’s brightness is a gentle counterbalance to that isolation. It represents the kind of emotional lift that works side-by-side with medical care and pierces the veil of silence.

This is where campaigns like the National Infertility Awareness Week and other inclusive initiatives by ASRM also step in.

Emotional and Psychological Impact

Infertility can be a heavy burden to carry: 25% to 60% of people with infertility struggle with anxiety or depression, and 9.4% of women report self-harm attempts or ideation. The levels of distress can equal those seen in chronic or life-threatening conditions.

Infertility is recognized as a disease by the WHO, but it can change how people feel seen. The warmth of orange helps people reconnect with a feeling of possibility, a way ahead that offers a visual language of care instead of silence. Even if it feels like no one’s listening, support is out there.  

With only 56.7% of people able to discuss infertility therapies openly, the community that forms around orange (through support walks, shared posts, and ribbons) flips the narrative of isolation on its head.

Beyond Awareness: The Ongoing Need for Support

Even if visibility is growing, infertility is still one of the least discussed public-health issues.  The World Health Organization estimates that 17.5% of adults worldwide (1 in 6 globally) experience infertility at some point, yet access to care faces limitations set by cost, geography, or public policy.

In many countries, fertility services are not part of regular insurance coverage, and prevention or education programs receive little to no funding.

This is where ongoing advocacy can help: To expand treatment access, yes, but also to shift our collective understanding of infertility.

Advocacy tells every patient, partner, and advocate that their experience is part of a shared human struggle, instead of a private shame.

How to Get Involved

Want to get involved? Here are some ideas to help bring awareness to this vital topic:

• Wear orange during National Infertility Awareness Week or any time of year. Tag @resolveorg and use #WearOrange to reach even more people.
• Join community events like the Walk of Hope, panels, or webinars. List local dates on RESOLVE’s calendar so people can find them.
• If you have a story of your own, share it: Include accurate sources and local contacts for support.
• Donate or volunteer with RESOLVE or a local group. Ask clinics about patient-assistance funds and other ways to pitch in.
• Advocate: email state representatives, request city proclamations for NIAW, and support more encompassing insurance coverage for fertility care.
• Get your workplace involved: Host a “Wear Orange” day, match staff contributions, and share HR information on benefits.
• You can also partner with local libraries, clinics, or faith centers to hand out flyers, multilingual materials, and signposts to counseling and legal resources.

Small, visible actions keep the topic top of mind and help people find high-quality care and information they can trust. But even more importantly, they break the stigma around infertility.

Summing Up

Infertility can make you feel like it’s just happening to you. Orange is a colorful and visible way to say, “You’re not alone in this.”

At Reproductive Fertility Center, Dr. Peyman Saadat and his team know that treatment is only half the story. What people need just as much is empathy, time, and holistic care that meets them where they are.

Their results show IVF success rates 40% higher than the national average, but what patients remember most is being treated like human beings instead of a medical history.

If you’re looking for humane fertility options that are backed by top-of-the-line science, or simply want clarity about where to start, reach out to Reproductive Fertility Center.