28 Mar 2023 Supporting Fertility in the Workplace

Infertility is described as a disease according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and while other diseases such as cancer and diabetes are covered by most employers under their health benefits packages, infertility treatment has taken a back seat. While it is no secret that an unsupported workforce lacks in performance, the added stress and anxiety of struggling with infertility have been shown to lead to employees’ loss of confidence, withdrawal, and even feeling the need to resign. Thankfully, with an increasingly competitive job market and taboos associated with infertility waning, employers are finally realizing the advantages fertility benefits bring to the table, including increased productivity. Fertility is a workplace matter, and support shouldn’t just be given to those who conceive naturally, but also to those who seek to create families through the use of artificial reproductive technologies.

Offer a Range of Reproductive Health Benefits

Offering a wide range of reproductive health benefits is an excellent way to support employees. Such a benefits package might include coverage for egg and sperm freezing, in vitro fertilization (IVF), genetic testing for embryos, surrogacy, and any number of other fertility treatments. Offering a wider range of benefits not only gives more options for intended parents but also acknowledges that no two fertility journeys are the same. For example, some women who choose to pursue their careers early in life may want to freeze their eggs in order to create families in the future. Other employees might experience infertility and need fertility treatments such as IVF or require a surrogate to fulfill their dreams of parenthood.

Including a higher lifetime maximum rate for treatments in an employee benefits package may also increase healthier outcomes. The cost of a single round of IVF can cost well over $12,000, with many intended parents needing multiple rounds of IVF to create their families. While many companies have provided some fertility benefits for the last several years, the coverage often isn’t enough to cover the financial cost associated with assisted reproductive technology. According to The New York Times, company benefits that cover genetic testing of embryos to identify abnormalities allow for the healthiest embryo to be implanted during IVF, resulting in a higher percentage of live births. David Schlanger, chief executive of Progyny, tells the Times, “Most women without coverage or with traditional carrier coverage are shopping for cost on every procedure and adding up how many dollars they have left, so they make compromises on treatment. The typical compromise? Placing more than one embryo into a womb in hopes that one or more of those eggs will create the much-dreamed-of ‘live birth.’” In most cases, however, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends only implanting one embryo at a time, not only for the health of the intended parent or surrogate but to also create a higher chance of a live birth and a healthy baby.

Allow for Flexibility During Fertility Treatments

Employees undergoing fertility treatment may also require flexible working hours. With many treatments requiring injections and multiple medical appointments, accommodating the intended parent with a flexible work schedule can help. This may include modified start times or allowing a telecommuting day. Michelle Joseph, head of people at global marketing agency Iris, tells The Drum, “I just don’t see how we can say to someone, ‘no, not on our time.’ It’s an all-consuming treatment. These guys are on a schedule.” Undergoing treatments can be incredibly stressful both emotionally and physically, so allowing flexibility may help in alleviating any added stress.

Flexibility may also mean giving an employee time to grieve, as not all fertility treatments end in a live birth, and this can be devastating to the intended parents. When discussing how pregnancy and parenthood affect all aspects of life, including work-life, Emma Menzies, Fertility at Work Coach and former employment lawyer, tells Forbes, “But the same can be said for difficulties conceiving and miscarriage, yet pregnancy and parenthood are accepted and accommodated in the workplace in a way that difficulties conceiving and miscarriage are not.” She goes on to say, “Fertility is a workplace matter too, and it’s time it receives that recognition.”

Offer a Fertility Benefits Package Inclusive to Everyone

One of the best ways to support employees with fertility struggles is to offer a benefits policy that is inclusive to everyone regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or relationship status. Although more companies are offering equal access, some continue to have antiquated policies that don’t offer fertility benefits until an employee has tried to conceive naturally via sexual intercourse for 12 months, leaving out two entire demographics, the LGBTQ community, and single intended parents according to the Times.

Emma, 38, who identifies as part of the LGBTQ community and is using only her first name for privacy, tells the Times that she had to take out thousands of dollars in personal loans after being denied access to fertility benefits from her employer, even after she was diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve, because her insurance required her to “try naturally for 12 months before they would cover anything.”

Equal access to fertility benefits for males is also important for inclusivity. As we reported last year, male sperm counts have dropped 50 percent worldwide over the last 50 years. Even though men today struggle with infertility more than their fathers and grandfathers did, fertility issues are still largely considered female issues. Although one-third is related to female factors, and another third to a combination of both female and male factors as well as unknown causes, the final one-third of infertility diagnoses is in fact, a direct result of male infertility. Despite that fact, many employers don’t offer their male employees the same health coverage options as women who are struggling with fertility.

According to Business Insider, this may mean offering men a full range of hormone and sperm testing services as well as sperm cryopreservation. Providing male employees with the same opportunities as women who seek testing and treatment helps in the infertility-solving process.

Business Insider also goes on to suggest a ‘Partner Agreement’ in the policy is beneficial, as most men undergoing fertility treatment have a partner, thus allowing both intended parents to have access to fertility care.

Educate Employees About Their Benefits

Making sure employees know they have health coverage for infertility is a great step in creating a supportive environment. Many intended parents struggle with infertility in silence and shame. It can be an isolating experience and without proper communication, employees may not even know they have access to coverage. Companies can offer resources that are readily available and easy to access for anyone who has any questions regarding their benefits. This can include leaflets, meetings, or even anonymous ways to access health information and benefits. Fertility struggles are incredibly stressful, filled with highs and lows, and although many employees may not talk about their struggles, making it known that they have a place to go for answers shows support.

Offering a supportive environment for fertility in the workplace is invaluable. For too long, intended parents have struggled to operate at the same pace and productivity level at work while facing the pressure and stress of their fertility journey. The two don’t coexist without sacrifices, but an employer who provides its employees with benefits, inclusion, flexibility, and education not only improves the workforce dynamic, but gains in the process, higher recruitment and retention rates, higher performances, and a happier workforce. It is time to change the narrative about employer reproductive health benefits.