Maven addresses male and female fertility needs with new tool

• Key Insight: Discover how integrating clinical support into cycle tracking is shifting workplace fertility benefits.
• What's at Stake: Employers risk talent retention gaps if fertility benefits don't address male and clinical needs.
• Supporting Data: 97% of U.S. women lacked necessary information when considering fertility treatment.
• Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review

Fertility benefit programs have developed to serve a wider range of workplace needs and demographics, and digital health provider Maven Clinic has launched a new product that pushes those advancements even further. 

Ninety-seven percent of women in the U.S. say they didn't have all the information they needed when first considering fertility treatment, according to a recent study from Maven. In addition, 84% of men feel their reproductive health needs are unmet, with another 83% admitting they don't know where to turn for male-specific support. The clinic's new cycle tracker is embedded in their existing app and aims to address both challenges at once. 

"Fertility trackers have become ubiquitous," says Neel Shah, chief medical officer of Maven Clinic. "But there was a clear need to pair that tracking with actual clinical support, and to also engage men in doing their part to optimize a couple's chances of conceiving and ultimately getting to the outcome of a healthy baby."

Read more: Most working mothers lack reliable lactation support at work, survey shows

Historically, couples trying to conceive have relied on standard menstrual cycle tracking apps. Yet those apps aren't necessarily comprehensive to account for other fertility factors, like ovulation.  Maven's tracker is designed to learn each member's unique cycle, and  provides individualized predictions, flags potential irregularities and offers personalized guidance around their fertility specifically. 

Users will also get on-demand access to Maven specialists through the app, which include OB-GYNs, fertility awareness educators and fertility care coaches to help better understand the information they're receiving and give necessary guidance, such as when to try and conceive or when to seek follow-up care.

Bringing men into the equation

Men haven't always been considered in the fertility process, despite the fact that male factors contribute to nearly half of all known infertility cases, according to findings from the National Library of Medicine. As part of the same expansion, Maven also now offers at-home semen analysis kits that allow men to  better understand their fertility status. They can then connect virtually with fertility specialists and men's health experts to review results and discuss next steps. The intention, Shah says, was to broaden the fertility experience and create a solution that went further than before. 

Read more: WIN's new benefit supports women through high risk pregnancies

"The goalposts for what employers are seeking in fertility benefits have shifted," he says. "[For example], financial access to IVF was a critical dimension of the benefit, but it's not the goal. The goal is giving families the shortest pathway to a healthy baby, regardless of how they conceive."

The conversation around fertility care and support has a long way to go, but with investment in the right tools and services, leaders could be making real, actionable change in employees' family journey. In the end, that will lead to a better culture, higher retention and better engagement.   

"Building a family is one of the most joyful, vulnerable and life-altering events many of us will undergo," Shah says. "When employers offer a helping hand, it doesn't only feel like a benefit — it feels like a life raft."