Supporting the Reproductive Journey of Female Firefighters: Challenges, Strategies, and Solutions

  • October 24, 2026
  • 8:00am-9:50am
  • FESTI -- 2025 Courtneypark Dr East, Mississauga, ON L5T 1J3

Facilitated by Tithi Joshi

In this interactive workshop, you will explore the reproductive journey from pre-conception to postpartum. You’ll reflect on your experiences, discuss realistic workplace scenarios, and identify stressors, coping strategies, and support gaps. Building on insights from stakeholder consultations, the session highlights challenges, organizational barriers, and practical strategies shared by peers. Beyond pregnancy, you’ll engage in discussions on broader reproductive health topics, share perspectives, provide feedback, and contribute ideas for strategies, policies, and interventions. You’ll leave with practical tools, help shape supportive environments, and contribute to collective knowledge on women’s reproductive health.

Tithi Joshi

Tithi Joshi is a PhD candidate in Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo, working with Dr. John Mielke and Dr. Elena Neiterman. Her research focuses on the pregnancy experiences of female first responders, examining workplace stressors, coping strategies, and organizational supports across the reproductive journey from pre-conception to postpartum. In this workshop, she uses her research and stakeholder insights to guide discussions, share practical strategies, and explore ways to create supportive workplace environments for women throughout their reproductive health experiences.