Maven expands family-building benefits with conception support

When it comes to starting a family, the experience can seem overwhelmingly daunting. But a new benefit from Maven is helping to decode the process from the very start. 

The women's and family virtual clinic has launched the Trying-to-Conceive program, which will support people starting their conception journey with coaching, education and resources. Clients can continue on with Maven's other offerings, including fertility care, if eventually needed. 

"There is this huge gray space between those who are lucky enough to conceive easily and those who are ready to go into IVF," says Kate Ryder, Maven's founder and CEO. "With the TTC coaching, it's really about helping those people in that gray space, who don't necessarily know what their pathway is going to be yet. We're giving them basic education, helping them adjust their lifestyle and really helping them understand conception." 

Read more: AT&T and Maven expand fertility benefits to support 125,000 employees 

According to research from the American Academy of Family Physicians, 86% of women and 92% of men do not receive any preconception care, while 75% of women have misconceptions around their own fertility. Ryder has heard fear from women in their 20s who feel they're too old to conceive, and points to social media trends offering false advice for improving conception chances. 

"There's a community that's desperate for support and guidance," Ryder says. "There's so much reproductive anxiety in our society today. There really needs to be some education and coaching for that group of people who want to have a baby, but are a little bit anxious and stressed." 

With Maven's TTC program, employees receive an assessment that will establish their conception goals, as well as reproductive education, check-ins with one-on-one care coaches, and other benefits like ovulation tracking kits and mental health and nutrition resources. 

Read more: A personal investment: This small business owner spent $10k to freeze her eggs for her future

Maven's coaches help users through the full process — whether an employee gets pregnant right away, needs intervention through medication, or eventually opts for IVF or other pregnancy options like surrogacy or adoption. Enabling employees to navigate the entire Maven ecosystem ensures users feel empowered around their reproductive journeys, Ryder says. 

"Our chief medical officer always likes to say, so many of us learn how not to have a baby and almost none of us learn how to conceive," Ryder says. "By the time we're ready, we don't really have a clear place to turn. If Maven can step up and fill a lot of those gaps, it's a really critical part of healthcare that is often overlooked." 

Read more: Alabama has updated its IVF ruling. What can employers learn from it? 

As reproductive rights continue to be debated and in some cases, limited by lawmakers, Ryder has seen employers lean even harder into benefits that provide this type of care. It's not only good for recruiting and retention, but enables employers to build inclusive company cultures where all employees feel supported in their personal and professional lives. 

"It sends a signal around inclusivity and just what kind of company and culture employees are joining," Ryder says. "Even if someone hasn't used Maven, just by virtue of having it sends a message that they value working families."