Despite growing awareness around fertility challenges, 77% of women have hidden or downplayed their fertility treatment at work.
So finds the latest survey from Maven Clinic, a virtual women’s and family health provider. The survey reached more than 1,000 U.S. women who have gone through the fertility journey. The fertility journey comes with many challenges, from financial to emotional. These are often hidden from public view, Maven executives argue.
Financial cost remains one of the biggest barriers to fertility care, with 75% of people experiencing financial strain when navigating fertility. Nearly half of survey respondents felt unprepared for the cost, particularly around medications or hormonal treatments, genetic testing and diagnostic testing.
Most respondents (83%) had to cut back on expenses and more than half had to use their savings meant for other life goals to afford fertility care. A third of the people said they took on debt, while 59% took on extra work.
At the same time, people going through the fertility journey must deal with the emotional toll it can take. Most (91%) said fertility challenges impact their mental health, the survey found. And 78% reported limiting social interactions, like weddings and family gatherings, due to the emotional stress.
“Peer-reviewed research has shown that receiving an infertility diagnosis causes similar distress as a cancer diagnosis. And yet, as this survey finds, public awareness of the toll that infertility can have on mental health is surface-level," Maven Chief Medical Officer Neel Shah, M.D., told Fierce Healthcare. “Financial coverage for IVF is a crucial first step but insufficient to ensure that families have the care they need and deserve. Beyond the clinic, families need solutions that can surround them with readily available emotional support."
Though 85% of respondents felt supported by their partners, 65% felt that the burden of infertility lay almost entirely with them. Nearly half of women stopped or delayed treatment earlier than they wanted because of financial barriers (45%), interference with work (43%) or the emotional burden (37%). More than half of women also reconsidered having kids at least once during their fertility journey.
"IVF is a life-changing technology that makes dreams come true, and providing access to this essential care is the floor, not the ceiling," Maven's founder and CEO, Kate Ryder, said in a press release. "Aspiring parents deserve support that is available 24/7, addresses both emotional and clinical needs, and is delivered transparently and compassionately … families need our help."
The survey also revealed what women often have to give up during their fertility struggle. As a result of treatment schedules or concerns about future family planning, nearly half of women turned down promotions, raises or new job opportunities. More than a quarter of people felt their fertility challenges impacted their career growth.
There is some indication that more employers are introducing fertility benefits. Between 2020 and 2022, the number of employers offering fertility benefits grew by 30%, per data from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.
A separate Maven survey from earlier this year found nearly two-thirds of employers are planning to add preconception care in the next year. This approach offers things like tracking ovulation for certain candidates before they transition to the costly and demanding IVF process. More than half of these employers also reported planning to enhance or add fertility care in the coming year. These steps can pay off: Among those with fertility benefits, 81% of respondents in the latest survey said they’re more engaged and productive at work.