Fertility coverage today: a complete guide to comprehensive fertility benefits for employers

The way we build families is evolving—and so are employee expectations. In recent years, demand for fertility support in workplace benefits has increased, with 66% of employees taking or considering a new job because of better reproductive and family health benefits. However, this upward trend is just the beginning.

Fertility coverage is the set of medical, financial, and emotional services employers offer through health plans and supplemental benefits to help employees navigate infertility and family-building — from basic diagnostic testing to comprehensive support for IVF, IUI, egg and sperm freezing, donor services, and surrogacy. Leading employers are moving past limited, diagnosis-gated plans toward inclusive, cycle-based benefits that support every path to parenthood.

According to recent employee insight surveys, 31% of employees say that support for preparing to have a family is their most important benefit, and more than half want their employer to advocate for continued access to comprehensive reproductive health services. These numbers reflect not just a shift in priorities but a broader change in what people need from their employers to feel seen, supported, and valued.

With solo parents by choice, same sex couples and individuals, and people navigating unexplained infertility looking for support as they build their families, inclusive benefits are no longer a nice-to-have; they’re essential. For businesses, that means rethinking what meaningful support looks like in 2025 and beyond.

This article covers what fertility coverage includes, what's commonly covered and excluded, why it's now business-critical, what a best-in-class benefit looks like, and the steps HR and benefits teams can take to build or improve their offering.

What is fertility coverage, and what does it include?

Fertility coverage refers to the services and support employers offer through their health insurance plans and supplemental benefits to help employees navigate infertility or plan for future family-building. At its most basic, it can mean limited insurance coverage or financial-only assistance for select treatments tied to an infertility diagnosis. At its most comprehensive, it combines physical, financial, and emotional care across every stage of the journey.

Coverage generally falls into two tiers:

• Basic fertility benefits may cover diagnostic testing or partial reimbursement for fertility medications. These plans often limit coverage or exclude certain procedures, leaving employees with high out-of-pocket costs. Many still require a diagnosis of infertility to qualify—which excludes same-sex couples, solo parents by choice, and people with unexplained infertility.
• Comprehensive fertility coverage goes further, combining full treatment access (IUI and IVF), medication coverage, fertility preservation, donor and surrogacy support, emotional and mental health services, and financial navigation tools that help employees understand what their plan covers.

Coverage varies by employer size, geography, and state law. For example, California's Senate Bill 729, signed into law in September 2024, requires certain fully insured health policies to cover and treat infertility, including IVF. By contrast, fetal personhood laws in states such as Arkansas, Kansas, and Tennessee could put access to IVF at risk. Employers with fully insured plans should confirm which state mandates apply to their population.

Key terms to know

• IUI (intrauterine insemination): A procedure that places sperm directly into the uterus to increase the chance of fertilization.
• IVF (in vitro fertilization): A process in which eggs are retrieved and fertilized in a lab, then transferred to the uterus as embryos.
• Fertility preservation: Freezing eggs, sperm, or embryos for future use.
• Preconception care: Health guidance — covering nutrition, fertility awareness, and more — provided before trying to conceive.
• Cycle-based coverage: A benefit model that funds complete treatment cycles rather than capping support at a fixed lifetime dollar amount.
• Assisted reproductive technology (ART): Any fertility treatment involving the handling of eggs, sperm, or embryos, including IVF.

What's usually covered, and what’s not? 

Coverage differs widely by plan, but this checklist reflects common patterns in the market.

Commonly covered under comprehensive plans:

• Diagnostic fertility testing (female and male)
• Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
• In vitro fertilization (IVF)
• Fertility medications
• Cycle monitoring
• Fertility preservation (egg and sperm freezing)
• Emotional and mental health support
• Financial navigation and cost estimates

Often limited, gated, or excluded under basic plans:

• IVF (frequently capped or excluded entirely)
• Donor eggs, sperm, or embryos
• Surrogacy support
• Fertility preservation for non-medical reasons
• Male-factor infertility services
• Care for individuals without a clinical infertility diagnosis (e.g., LGBTQIA+ couples, solo parents by choice)
• Storage fees for frozen eggs, sperm, or embryos

Key takeaway: Many traditional plans require a diagnosis of infertility, which structurally excludes people who need donor or ART pathways to build a family. Comprehensive, inclusive benefits remove that barrier.

How much does fertility care cost without coverage? 

Fertility care is among the most expensive out-of-pocket healthcare needs employees face. Without meaningful coverage, they shoulder significant costs:

• IVF: The average cost of a single IVF cycle in the U.S. is about $23,000, not including fertility drugs.
• Egg freezing: Typically around $11,000 per cycle.
• Surrogacy: Can exceed $100,000.

These numbers carry real financial consequences. According to Maven's 2025 State of Women's and Family Health Benefits report:

• 45% of employees have delayed or forgone other financial priorities because of healthcare costs.
• 28% have taken on debt to cover them.
• Among those who needed IVF, nearly half paid more than expected.

Cost confusion compounds the burden. 46% of employees have received an unexpected bill or paid more than expected, and 53% felt costs were unclear before they started fertility treatment.

Why is fertility coverage now a business-critical benefit?

Fertility coverage has shifted from a niche perk to a core part of modern employee benefits—driven by rising demand, changing demographics, talent competition, and the mental health toll of infertility.

Rising demand and shifting demographics

• About 12 in 100 U.S. couples need infertility treatment to achieve pregnancy—but the need extends far beyond heterosexual couples.
• More people are delaying parenthood for personal, financial, or career reasons, fueling demand for egg freezing, sperm testing, and preservation services.
• 63% of LGBTQIA+ millennials are considering starting or growing their families, and the same share expect to use ART, foster care, or adoption to do so.

These pathways are often complex, costly, and left out of standard plans.

A competitive edge in talent acquisition and retention

Offering fertility benefits has become a strategic advantage for attracting and retaining top talent, with 84% of employers saying that reproductive and family benefits are important or very important for attracting employees. Our State of Women's and Family Health Benefits report reveals that 66% of employees took or considered taking a new job because of better reproductive and family health benefits

Companies providing comprehensive fertility benefits not only better meet employee expectations but also demonstrate a commitment to equity in the workplace. Inclusive fertility benefits support various family-building journeys, particularly benefiting women and LGBTQIA+ employees, thereby fostering a more diverse and supportive workplace.

By integrating fertility benefits into their health plans, employers not only enhance their appeal to prospective employees but also cultivate a loyal and satisfied workforce. Cozen O'Connor, for example, has had positive feedback from employees since implementing the Maven Fertility & Family Building program, with a satisfaction score of 4.99 out of 5.

Addressing the mental and emotional toll

The World Health Organization recognizes infertility as a disease of the reproductive system that affects roughly one in six people globally and can cause significant psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, and reduced self-esteem.

The workplace impact is measurable:

• 93% of employees say their careers have been affected by an infertility diagnosis.
• 70% have taken sick leave while navigating fertility challenges.
• 92% of working parents report feeling burnt out, and 24% of employees have taken extended leave or career breaks.

For employers, the cost of inaction is clear: rising attrition, reduced productivity, and widening inequities.

What a best-in-class fertility benefit looks like today

Today's leading fertility benefits deliver comprehensive, inclusive, accessible care that supports employees emotionally, physically, and financially at every stage. Here's what defines a best-in-class offering in 2025.

Comprehensive clinical support

• Access to reproductive endocrinologists, OB-GYNs, fertility awareness coaches, and mental health specialists—often virtually, for 24/7/365 access.
• A strong emphasis on preconception care, which improves outcomes and can reduce the need for advanced treatment. Notably, 86% of women don't receive preconception care during routine OB-GYN visits, while 30% of Maven's Fertility members achieve pregnancy without ART thanks to early, personalized support.
• Evidence-based treatment and personalized provider matching.

Inclusive family-building pathways

• Coverage for LGBTQIA+ individuals, single parents by choice, and those pursuing adoption, surrogacy, or donor-assisted reproduction.
• Removal of diagnosis-based barriers that have historically excluded underrepresented groups.
• Culturally-competent care matching that connects individuals with providers who understand their lived experiences.

Financial transparency and support

• Upfront cost estimates, simplified claims, and clear reimbursement processes.
• Cycle-based coverage models that offer predictable, equitable support compared to lifetime caps—especially when coverage includes prescription drugs, not just medical treatment.
• Transparent financial tracking that cuts confusion and administrative friction for employees and benefits teams alike.

Emotional and mental health care

Mental health support is one of the most important benefit priorities employees name in 2025, and the emotional stakes are high:

• 50% of women and 15% of men rank infertility as the most upsetting experience of their lives.
• 55% say infertility is more stressful than unemployment, and 61% say it's more stressful than divorce.
• 50% of women don't tell their employer about their treatment out of fear of not being taken seriously, and more than 40% worry it will hurt their career.

Best-in-class benefits provide mental health professionals, peer support groups, and 24/7 coaching to reduce burnout and build resilience.

Global and localized care

For multinational employers, fertility support must consider legal, cultural, and clinical differences across regions. A leading benefits partner removes the burden from benefits teams with a depth of knowledge about local laws,  offering localized care that aligns with local regulations while maintaining consistent quality and access for all employees, no matter where they’re based.

Ease of use

A strong fertility benefit should reduce benefit teams’ workload and make managing treatment admin easier for employees. The best solutions are intuitive, with streamlined onboarding, transparent pricing, and dashboards that offer real-time engagement and utilization data. Easy navigation, claims, and reimbursements make the benefit truly accessible for everyone involved.

How do employers implement or improve a fertility benefit?

Whether you're starting from scratch or expanding an existing program, implementing comprehensive fertility insurance benefits requires strategic planning and input from across your organization. These key steps can help ensure your offering is inclusive, impactful, and aligned with employee needs.

Audit your current offering

• Review what your health plans cover today—from testing and IVF to full-scale support.
• Identify what's missing and who's being left out.
• Apply an equity lens: are LGBTQIA+ employees, single parents, or lower-income employees excluded from meaningful access?

Understand employee needs

• Use anonymous surveys to gather data on reproductive health goals and what employees want from coverage and vendors.
• Partner with employee resource groups (ERGs) to collect nuanced feedback from underrepresented communities and understand real-life barriers.

Choose the right partner

The right partner should offer clinical credibility, inclusive support, financial transparency, and global scalability. Ask vendors:

• What is your care model, and what outcome data can you share?
• Can you tailor programs to our workforce?
• How do you support emotional well-being alongside infertility treatment?
• How do you handle multi-state and multi-country regulatory differences?

Communicate the benefit effectively

• Highlight support clearly during onboarding and open enrollment.
• Train managers to speak confidently about available resources.
• Use inclusive language to normalize conversations around fertility and family-building.

How Maven supports employees through every stage of the fertility journey

With over a decade in the healthcare sphere and having partnered with more than 2,000 employers, Maven has always focused on delivering personalized care through an intuitive benefits management platform, making it easier than ever for employees to get the fertility support they need and employers to facilitate it.

Personalized, always-on support

72% of employees report having to wait longer than they wanted to get a medical appointment for fertility care, but we are breaking down this barrier. We offer 24/7 access to providers and dedicated care advocates, with same-day appointments available with specialized providers.

Our tech-enabled platform with human guidance delivers curated content for every member and makes it easy for employees to view their appointments, ask questions, and manage costs, all in one place.

Clinical excellence & emotional care in one place

Our model of care integrates clinical, financial, and emotional support to deliver the best outcomes for all. Through Maven:

• 30% of members achieve pregnancy without assisted reproductive technology. By avoiding treatment, employers and employees can save on the cost of IVF treatment, which can be up to $25,000. 
• There’s a 97% singleton pregnancy rate during IVF, which is 2-4% higher than the national average. Further, single births typically result in lower NICU admissions and fewer complications during pregnancy.
• NICU admissions have lowered by up to 27%.
• 21% of members report improved mental health, and more than 40% of members reported finding emotional support through Maven. Studies estimate that mental health support during IVF can double the chance of a successful pregnancy.

Built for equity, built for scale

As well as our Fertility & Family Building health plan, we also offer Maternity & Newborn Care, Parenting & Pediatrics, and Menopause & Midlife Health so that employees can get the support they need no matter their stage of life. Our platform is designed to grow with our clients so that it can meet the ever-changing needs of businesses and their employees.

Employers that invest in Maven see 2–4x clinical and business savings.

Frequently asked questions 

What is fertility coverage?

Fertility coverage is the range of medical, financial, and emotional services employers offer through health plans and supplemental benefits to help employees navigate infertility or plan for family-building. It can span anything from limited diagnostic testing to comprehensive support for IVF, IUI, preservation, donor services, and surrogacy.

What are the key components of comprehensive fertility coverage?

Comprehensive coverage typically includes clinical support (IUI, IVF, fertility medications, monitoring, preconception care), inclusive family-building pathways (donor, surrogacy, and adoption support for all family structures), financial transparency (cost estimates and simplified claims), and emotional and mental health care.

Does traditional health insurance cover IVF?

Often only partially, or not at all. Many plans cap IVF, require a diagnosis of infertility, or exclude it entirely—leaving employees with an average out-of-pocket cost of about $23,000 per cycle, not including medications. Coverage also depends on state mandates.

How much does fertility treatment cost without coverage?

A single IVF cycle averages about $23,000 (excluding drugs), egg freezing runs around $11,000 per cycle, and surrogacy can exceed $100,000.

How can employers support diverse family-building needs?

By removing diagnosis-based eligibility barriers and offering inclusive coverage for LGBTQIA+ individuals, single parents by choice, and those pursuing adoption, surrogacy, or donor-assisted reproduction—paired with culturally-competent provider matching.

Do fertility benefits vary by state?

Yes. State laws differ significantly. California's Senate Bill 729 (2024) requires certain fully insured plans to cover infertility treatment including IVF, while fetal personhood laws in states such as Arkansas, Kansas, and Tennessee could threaten IVF access. Employers should confirm which mandates apply to their fully insured populations.

What is cycle-based coverage, and why does it matter?

Cycle-based coverage funds complete treatment cycles rather than capping support at a fixed lifetime dollar amount. It offers more predictable, equitable support—especially when it includes both medical treatment and prescription drugs.

Why are fertility benefits important for recruitment and retention?

84% of employers say reproductive and family benefits are important or very important for attracting talent, and 66% of employees took or considered a new job for better reproductive and family health benefits.

Your next steps

1. Audit your current plan against the covered-vs-not-covered checklist above to identify gaps and excluded populations.
2. Survey employees and partner with ERGs to understand real family-building needs.
3. Explore the data. Review Maven's State of Women's and Family Health Benefits report to see where benefits are falling short and what leading employers are doing differently.
4. Book a demo to see how Maven can support working families, retain talent, and reduce costs.

Offering better fertility care for all employees

The business case for fertility benefits has never been stronger, and companies that invest in Maven see 2-4x clinical and business savings. However, offering this coverage is about so much more than just employee productivity and retention. It's about the tangible difference that you can make to the lives of your employees by supporting their family-planning goals and ensuring access to high-quality, affordable care regardless of gender identity, race, or marital status.

Ultimately, people are the lifeblood of any organization, so making what matters to them matter to you is always going to be a business imperative. To find out more about how Maven can support your workforce and drive new levels of organizational success, book a demo today.