What is fertility preservation?
Fertility preservation is a method of family planning that involves saving or protecting eggs, sperm, or reproductive tissue so that people can have children in the future.
For some people, medical treatments like chemotherapy for cancer can affect their ability to have children later. By preserving their eggs or sperm before treatment, they keep the option of having biological children in the future.
Other people may want to delay having children until they’re older. This could be for personal reasons, such as wanting to focus on their career, or because they haven’t found the right partner yet. By freezing eggs or sperm when they’re younger, they can use them later when they’re ready to start a family.
Methods of fertility preservation
There are several methods for preserving fertility:
- Egg freezing (Oocyte Cryopreservation): Women can have their eggs collected and frozen for future use. The process involves retrieving multiple eggs through a minor surgical procedure and then freezing them. | PDF 174 kB
- Sperm freezing (Sperm Cryopreservation): Men can provide a sperm sample, which is then frozen and stored.
- Embryo freezing: This involves fertilizing a woman’s eggs with sperm to create embryos, which are then frozen. This is often used by couples who want to preserve their ability to have biological children together. Embryo freezing is also beneficial for people who want to delay in vitro fertilization (IVF) to a later date.
How can workplaces support employees and their family building?
With every employee’s path for family building being different, you can help support your employees by:
Destigmatizing infertility
Infertility can be a sensitive and challenging issue with 1 in 6 Canadians experiencing it. You can help your organization by fostering an environment where employees feel comfortable without fear of judgment. This can be achieved through educational sessions, open conversations, and company policies that support those dealing with infertility.
Diagnostic treatment and support
Services like Teladoc Medical Experts can help your employees make the right decisions about their health and can complement the care provided by their own doctor. Teladoc also provides employees with help to locate specialists, find healthcare services in your area and the opportunity to speak to an expert.
Offering family-building coverage
Including family-building coverage in your benefits plan can help make fertility treatments like IVF, egg freezing, sperm freezing, and some costs associated for using a surrogate, more affordable for employees.
Increasing fertility drug maximums
Fertility drugs are often a significant expense in the fertility treatment process. Increasing the maximum coverage for these medications can help alleviate financial burdens and make treatments more accessible.
Offering healthcare spending accounts
Healthcare spending accounts (HSAs) offer coverage flexibility for individual needs with a set number of credits to spend on healthcare expenses, including fertility treatments. This flexible spending option allows employees to use the credits where they need them most.
Making emotional support available
Going through fertility treatments can be emotionally taxing. Providing access to an employee assistance program (EAP) can help employees manage stress and anxiety during this time.
Adding a non-registered savings plan
A non-registered savings plan allows employees to save money for specific needs, such as fertility treatments, without the restrictions of traditional retirement savings plans. This can give employees more financial flexibility to plan for their family-building needs.
How does offering family-building coverage impact a business?
Beyond the ways fertility treatment can help employees, it can also have additional benefits for your business:
Retention of employees and attracting new young talent
Offering family-building coverage may help attract and retain employees long-term. It can also provide the opportunity to attract a younger workforce.
Providing comprehensive benefits
By offering Canada Life’s family-building coverage, you can show you’re attentive to the evolving needs of your employees.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
Employees come from diverse backgrounds with varied family planning needs. Offering Canada Life’s family-building coverage acknowledges this diversity and can create a workplace that’s inclusive and supportive of different life choices and family structures, including those in the 2SLGBTQI+ community.