Fertility and family-building benefits have evolved from a niche offering to a core part of workforce strategy. As employees delay parenthood, infertility rates remain high, and expectations for personalized benefits continue to grow, employers are rethinking how they support people through family-building and beyond.

The question is no longer whether these benefits matter. It's whether current strategies reflect how people actually build families today.

Workforce trends are changing the conversation

Family-building looks different from what it did a decade ago. People are having children later in life, infertility affects approximately 1 in 6 people globally, and fertility outcomes remain closely tied to age and health factors.

Certain workforces may face additional challenges. Research has shown higher rates of infertility and pregnancy complications among healthcare professionals, while long hours, shift work, and delayed family-building can influence reproductive outcomes across industries.

For employers, these trends highlight an important reality: fertility support isn't simply about covering treatment. It's about helping employees understand their options earlier and navigate increasingly complex decisions with confidence.

The shift toward personalized benefits

Benefits strategies are becoming more personalized, and fertility and family-building support is no exception.

Employees don't follow a single path to parenthood. Some are looking for fertility awareness and preconception guidance. Others may need fertility preservation, IVF, adoption, or gestational surrogacy support. Increasingly, employers are recognizing that meaningful support means meeting employees where they are rather than designing benefits around a single experience.

This broader approach also connects fertility and family-building benefits to larger workforce priorities, including retention, well-being, and equitable access to care.

Supporting the full family-building journey

The strongest strategies for family-building benefits support employees before, during, and after family-building.
That may include:

• Preconception education and fertility awareness
• Cycle tracking and reproductive health support
• Fertility preservation
• Fertility treatment, including IVF and other interventions
• Adoption and gestational surrogacy
• Mental health support throughout the process
• Pregnancy and postpartum care
• Support for midlife and menopause
• Men’s health

We're also seeing growing interest in preconception and metabolic health support. For some individuals, factors such as sleep, nutrition, insulin resistance, thyroid health, or other underlying conditions may affect fertility and pregnancy readiness. Earlier support can help employees make informed decisions before pursuing more intensive interventions.

Policy developments employers should monitor

The policy landscape continues to evolve.

State fertility mandates remain important, particularly for fully insured plans. However, many self-insured employers are exempt from state insurance mandates under ERISA, making it critical to understand which requirements apply and where employer-sponsored design decisions fill the gaps.

Leave policies are also changing. States such as Massachusetts continue to expand family and medical leave programs, creating new considerations for how benefits, leave, and return-to-work strategies work together.

Additionally, fertility medication pricing and affordability remain an area to watch as policymakers and industry stakeholders explore new approaches to reducing treatment costs.

Don't overlook the global picture

For multinational employers, family-building support can vary significantly across markets. Public coverage, legal frameworks, fertility preservation access, and surrogacy regulations differ widely from country to country.

Rather than pursuing identical programs everywhere, leading employers are increasingly focused on delivering consistent principles: equitable access, clear guidance, and support that reflects local healthcare systems and employee needs.

Looking ahead

Fertility and family-building benefits are increasingly reflecting how employers support employees across life's most important moments.

The organizations leading the way are moving beyond a narrow focus on treatment coverage. They're building strategies that support diverse paths to parenthood, provide guidance earlier in the journey, and recognize that family-building is deeply personal.

As workforce needs continue to evolve, employers have an opportunity to create benefits experiences that are not only more comprehensive but also more human.

Kristen Moody, Chief Customer Officer
Email: [email protected]
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