A year ago I stepped into a Podcast Studio in Brighton to be interviewed by an old patient of mine, Sam Thomas. I was victim 23 in his 24-hour podcast challenge, very nervous as I had not done anything like this before, but excited as we hadn’t met in over eight years!
Sam and his wife, Kelly, are proud parents of twins conceived at the Agora! Within minutes of the podcast starting, we were engrossed in a deeply emotional conversation which became pivotal, for both of us, as we reflected on his journey, and I reflected on my passion for dispelling the myths and taboos still associated with infertility and improving fertility education in schools and the workplace.
That is how I have found my way into this magazine, covering, topic by topic, those areas in reproductive health I know so many feel uncomfortable discussing.
Fertility Awareness Week (30th October to 2nd November) is a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by individuals and couples struggling with fertility issues and so, in this article, I have elected to delve deep into a workplace issue and give you my top tips on how to create a fair and inclusive fertility policy.
The elephant in the room Let’s start with this. Employers know that many of their younger employees will at some point want to start a family. This stems from an innate human desire for companionship, leaving a legacy and most importantly a deep emotional fulfilment derived from nurturing and watching a new life grow, especially with one’s partner.
If conception is not, or cannot, happen ‘naturally’, or there is pregnancy loss, immense stress evolves and for many there are additional feelings of despair, guilt and shame. Broaching the topic of needing fertility investigations or treatment to conceive is not a conversation most want to have with their friends, family or work colleagues let alone with their boss or HR department. It is an ‘uncomfortable’ topic prompting fear of discrimination which could affect job prospects or promotion.
The harsh reality is that people find it incredibly challenging to deal first with the diagnosis of infertility and then the treatment they need to resolve it; it can be incredibly hard to juggle fertility treatment appointments, daily injections and the inevitable emotional rollercoaster of the fertility journey while staying on top of your professional game and keep the whole thing hidden from your boss and work colleagues. That is why fertility journeys are so often shrouded in secrecy, with injections being done during coffee breaks in the staff toilets, appointments being attended by only one partner and sick days being taken at short notice.
Over 60% of businesses fall short when it comes to understanding and accommodating these unique needs as they have no fertility policy in place. Workflow is disrupted and talent is lost due to stress, decreased productivity, and burnout amongst affected employees.
With unemployment at an all-time low, and recruitment and retention an ongoing challenge, there has never been a better time for organisations to step up their game and make a positive change.
