What You Need to Know About Fertility Benefits
Becoming pregnant, or beginning to try, is a chapter in adult life where decisions about health, finances, and mental preparedness are fine-tuned in a 9-month window. It’s a time when evidence and emotion become so intricately meshed that teasing out what needs priority changes weekly. If IVF or some other fertility support was part of your journey, you may already know about Fertility Benefits. Fertility benefits are a game-changer, and they are a compliment to, not a replacement for, your health insurance.
The first part of understanding fertility benefits will start in your HR Department. If your co-worker recently had a baby, they may mention it to you, but the best place to get a detailed outline of your benefits, and where to call to begin using them is a place you already know. The more common names used by my clients include Winn, Maven and Carrot. Contacting the company directly is the best way to ensure you use as much of your benefit as you need, especially with a first pregnancy when the learning curve is steepest.
Fertility benefits cover egg freezing, erectile dysfunction, menopause, birth doulas and postpartum doulas – they are all about inclusive fertility support. Benefits are offered for single events or as a lifetime value – either per pregnancy or in one’s life time. Providers will be required to carry certain credentials and provide documentation proving that they maintain a professional business as well as a willingness to itemize invoices in order for you to be reimbursed.
Birth doulas typically charge a package fee for services that includes multiple prenatal meetings, support throughout your birth, and a postpartum visit when you are discharged. A postpartum doula may also offer packages, or an hourly rate with a structure for hours/days/times they will come ot your home and support your family in postpartum recovery. Those benefits are available to you for 6 weeks after your baby is born, regardless of when you start using them. Clients have foregone a week or two of covered support because they misunderstood how the 6 weeks was counted – a lost benefit worth upward of $2500.
Carrot has a directory of doulas to help you find candidates, but will also help you certify a doula who meets the requirements by sending an attestation form to you, at your request. The doula and Carrot handle the work, so if you want a specific doula who is not listed, be sure to ask if they would be willing to accomodate your request. Agencies can also provide Carrot approved doulas. Maven will work with any doula who meets it’s requirements and issues an invoice that meets their needs.
Five years ago, the tech companies and progressive global companies had these benefits. In 2026, most banks, accounting firms, smaller woman-owned businesses, and boutique corporations trying to retain and attract high talent have fertility benefits. If your company does not have them, the benefit of inquiry would far outweigh your effort. As a certified full-spectrum doula, my support is covered by your benefits, including for lactation support and bereavement in birth. The goal of fertility benefits is to support all people in their journey. You can talk to me about how a doula will benefit your family, ask me for a complimentary 30-minute intro at www.judywhitedoula.com.