FAMILY “RAISING PHASE” Expecting Chapter: FAMILY PLANNING
Infertility and/or family planning challenges can feel insurmountable and cost-prohibitive for those who are hoping to start a family. Potential pathways to parenthood are also expanding to include things like adoption, many different forms of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), or gestational surrogacy – and not all pathways are supported equally, even by companies who do provide some level of benefits.
Challenge
• 1 in 5 (19%) of married women aged 15-49 are unable to get pregnant after 1 year of trying, per CDC National Survey of Family Growth. • 63% of LGBTQ people planning their families expect to use ART, foster care, or adoption per 2019 LGBTQ Family Building Survey. • 72% of people would stay at their company longer if they had access to fertility benefits, per Carrot "Fertility At Work" global report.
Importance
GOOD
BETTER
BEST
Provide consistent level of family planning benefits for all employees (including LGBTQ and single employees, without requiring proof of infertility diagnosis for insurers)
Provide stipend or partial reimbursement for related expenses, including but not limited to: • IVF expenses • Adoption expenses • Surrogacy expenses • Pre-genetic screening expenses
Provide full reimbursement for expense types noted in “Better” column Provide fertility benefit membership plan to employees, with flexible coverage options Offer bereavement leave to parents who experience pregnancy loss
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Antidotes
Consider equitable access for the multiple pathways to parenthood
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Leading Firms
Financial assistance for fertility, adoption, and surrogacy-related expenses.
Both offer reimbursement programs for surrogacy and adoption expenses.
Fertility and in-vitro support.
• Outsource options: Consider a Carrot Fertility or Progyny Fertility membership for employees, with customizable plans to address variety of employee needs related to family planning and women’s health (including egg/sperm/embryo freezing, assisted reproduction/IVF, gestational surrogacy, adoption, pregnancy & postpartum, return to work, menopause & low testosterone, and gender-affirming care). • Read more: SHRM feature on “ Family-Building Benefits ,” dated 11/13/2021 & Harvard Business Review article “ Does Your Employer Offer Fertility and Family Planning Benefits? ” dated 3/10/2022.
Additional Resources
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