Most of the time, we think of fertility as a very personal issue. For those who struggle, it can be a heartbreaking, lonely, expensive journey without nearly enough support. So this year for National Fertility Week, we\u2019d like to bring that journey into the light\u2013and talk about how fertility impacts people\u2019s lives and work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if you don\u2019t realize it, there\u2019s a good chance fertility issues are affecting your employees\u2019 productivity and wellbeing right now, not to mention your healthcare costs and ability to attract and retain talent. But you can make a difference by offering fertility support with your benefits and helping break down the stigma around fertility at work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Infertility, the inability to conceive after trying for one year, impacts one in every six people<\/strong> of reproductive age worldwide \u2014that\u2019s about 1.34 billion people each year.1<\/sup> In fact, fertility issues are as common as breast cancer, and even more common than type 2 diabetes.2<\/sup> But, even though fertility issues touch so many people, you probably don\u2019t hear a lot about them from your colleagues and employees. And there are lots of reasons why. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For one thing, there\u2019s a taboo around reproductive health\u2014especially women\u2019s reproductive health\u2014which makes it incredibly hard to talk about. On top of that, many people who struggle to conceive internalize feelings of guilt or shame. They may be afraid they\u2019ll be judged, and often they don\u2019t feel safe or comfortable talking about the problem. Many also worry that sharing their plans for building a family could put them at a disadvantage at work.3 <\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if they aren\u2019t talking about it, the struggle to conceive can have a deep impact on every part of a person\u2019s life, from personal relationships to focus at work. The journey is exhausting, emotionally and financially, with painful disappointments made even harder by the challenges of finding good care. To put the impact of fertility issues into perspective, consider this: depression levels among people struggling with fertility are comparable to those of patients diagnosed with cancer<\/strong>.4<\/sup> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Two major demographic shifts are making infertility a more important workplace issue than ever before. First, women make up more and more of the workforce. Second, as they focus on their careers, people are having children later, which increases the chances of fertility issues.5<\/sup> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a look at the numbers: By 2025 millennials will make up 75% of the global workforce. And the millennial workforce has a higher percentage of working women than any generation before\u201472% of millennial women are employed, compared to just 40% of the silent generation and 66% of baby boomers at the same age.6 <\/sup>Along with this increase in workforce participation, the average age for first-time motherhood has gone up 24% in the past ten years7<\/sup>\u2014from 21 to 26. Men are having children later too, with the average up from 27 to 31 over the last decade.8<\/sup> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Though the numbers aren\u2019t clear yet, COVID-19 may have an impact as well. US births declined during the pandemic9 <\/sup>and, according to a recent study from NYU, nearly half of the women in New York who\u2019d been trying to become pregnant before COVID-19 stopped trying within the first few months of quarantine.10<\/sup> As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, people may decide the time is finally right to build their families. But, now that they are two years older, they are more likely to face fertility challenges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Since more of your employees may be dealing with fertility issues, it\u2019s worth considering how fertility support can save costs and help attract and retain employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to cost, the risk of adverse, and expensive, birth events (such as c-sections, preterm birth, and other complications) increases with maternal age.11<\/sup> Since personalized, proven fertility support can help people conceive sooner, it can lower those risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Personalized fertility support can also help reduce the need for expensive fertility procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). And even if you don\u2019t cover IVF, the process can still raise healthcare costs because IVF increases the likelihood of multiple births\u2014while a single birth costs an average of $21,000, births of multiples can cost up to $105,000 or more.12<\/sup> <\/p>\n\n\n\n And, while fertility support can save costs, it\u2019s also important to realize that there can be some additional costs and risks. So how can you increase your benefit offerings and remain competitive without breaking the bank? Pair your fertility support with maternity and family health solutions that are proven to address and reduce avoidable adverse health events. When you combine the two, people may be able to conceive naturally sooner\u2013or become more educated about reproductive technologies if they need them\u2013and they\u2019ll be more likely to get the care they need and understand their unique risks, both of which can lower adverse health outcomes. For example, when people know that advanced maternal age raises the risk of preeclampsia or preterm birth, they\u2019re more likely to get the tests and treatments they need, watch for warning signs, and catch problems early, when they are easier (and less expensive) to treat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An example of this in action, recently, a client discovered how important it is to pair fertility support with maternal and family health solutions. At first, the company decided to simply add fertility support to their benefits. But after one year\u2013and millions of dollars in additional healthcare costs for multiple births and other health issues\u2013they realized that they needed digital maternity and family support, too. Since implementing both (with Ovia Health as their digital and maternity support) costs have normalized, saving the company millions of dollars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While it may seem like a lot to take on at once, adding fertility and maternity support can save you the cost of replacing employees and help you attract the best talent. That\u2019s because, in our post-pandemic world, family-friendly benefits are more important than ever. According to a recent Ovia survey<\/a>, 77% of working parents consider family-friendliness their number-one priority, and 90% would consider leaving for another job if it offered better family benefits.13<\/sup> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fertility struggles are difficult for so many reasons, from the emotional strain to the cost and the time for treatments, just to name a few. But we can talk about fertility until it\u2019s not so stigmatized anymore, and offer benefits that help ease the burden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step is culture change\u2013we can create work cultures that are open, supportive, and understanding about the ways fertility issues impact peoples\u2019 personal and work lives. We can talk often about benefits, and make it clear that women\u2019s health\u2014including fertility and maternity care\u2014is a priority. We can train managers about the unique needs of employees who are struggling with fertility, and help them create environments that are supportive of the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We can also invest in fertility benefits that help families conceive earlier and with fewer complications. Programs that offer personalized fertility support are critical. So are programs like Ovia<\/a>, which can partner with these fertility companies to provide maternal health care management, education, and one-on-one coaching to help families all the way from conception, through birth, and returning to work as new parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This year, for National Infertility Week, let\u2019s make it okay to talk about fertility issues, and let\u2019s offer meaningful support to those who are struggling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1: World Health Organization: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/infertility<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2: Sohrab, Serena and Nada Basir. Navigating Work While Undergoing Fertility Treatments. Harvard Business Review: https:\/\/hbr.org\/2021\/11\/navigating-work-while-undergoing-fertility-treatments<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3: Sohrab, Serena and Nada Basir. Employers, It\u2019s Time to Talk About Infertility. Harvard Business Review: https:\/\/hbr.org\/2020\/11\/employers-its-time-to-talk-about-infertility<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4: Rooney, Kristin L., et. al. The Relationship Between Stress and Infertility. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. 2018 Mar; 20(1): 41\u201347: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6016043\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 5: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: https:\/\/www.acog.org\/women<\/a>s<\/a>-health\/faqs\/having-a-baby-after-age-35-how-aging-affects-fertility-and-pregnancy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 6: Teamstage: https:\/\/teamstage.io\/millennials-in-the-workplace-statistics\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 7: Centers for Disease Control: https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/products\/databriefs\/db232.htm#:~:text=Data%20from%20the%20National%20Vital,pronounced%20from%202009%20to%202014<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 8: Forbes: https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/ashleystahl\/2020\/05\/01\/new-study-millennial-women-are-delaying-having-children-due-to-their-careers\/?sh=20a9383276ad<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 9: United States Census Bureau: https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/stories\/2021\/09\/united-states-births-declined-during-the-pandemic.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 10: NYU Langone Health: https:\/\/nyulangone.org\/news\/many-mothers-may-have-delayed-or-abandoned-plans-additional-children-because-covid-19-pandemic<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 11: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: https:\/\/www.acog.org\/womens-health\/faqs\/having-a-baby-after-age-35-how-aging-affects-fertility-and-pregnancy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 12: CBS News: https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/cost-of-having-baby-21k-for-single-birth-105k-for-twins\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nAs workplace demographics change, women’s health is becoming a bigger issue at the office<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why fertility benefits, coupled with maternity and family health support, are good business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to make a culture shift, and offer the benefits that matter most<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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