Parenting and child well-being Archives | Progyny https://progyny.com/topics/parenting-and-child-well-being/ Smarter benefits for life's milestones Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:56:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://progyny.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Favicon_48px.png Parenting and child well-being Archives | Progyny https://progyny.com/topics/parenting-and-child-well-being/ 32 32 Don’t just renew—review! Key questions for vendor accountability https://progyny.com/blog/fertility-in-the-workplace/dont-just-renew-review-key-questions-for-vendor-accountability/ Fri, 15 May 2026 19:04:28 +0000 https://progyny.com/?p=31388 When was the last time you truly evaluated your benefits vendors? As employers prepare for 2027 renewals, many will default […]

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When was the last time you truly evaluated your benefits vendors?

As employers prepare for 2027 renewals, many will default to another annual cycle without closely examining whether their current programs are actually delivering value. But in a period of rising healthcare costs and increased scrutiny from finance and executive teams, renewal without review has become a growing risk.

For years, many benefits strategies were designed primarily around access and retention. Today, that’s no longer enough. Rising healthcare costs are forcing employers to take a more disciplined approach – one that requires benefits strategies to be measurable, defensible, and actively managed.

The question is no longer, “What do we offer?” it’s, “What is it delivering clinically, operationally, and financially?”

Too many vendors still rely on access metrics, enrollment figures, app downloads, or satisfaction scores that do little to explain whether a program is improving outcomes or reducing costs. In today’s environment, employers need a clear view of performance.

As Progyny’s 2027 benefits guide advises, a strong potential partner should be able to demonstrate:

  • Clear attribution of costs savings and avoided high-cost claims
  • Measurable improvements in clinical outcomes
  • Transparent reporting methods
  • A direct connection between care delivery and long-term cost containment

More vendors doesn’t always mean more value

Women’s health benefits that layer fertility, maternity, menopause, and other point solutions may expand access, but it rarely improves coordination, accountability, or cost control.

The women’s health benefits market is increasingly crowded with vendors that address a single issue or life stage, and while each may solve an important problem, together, they often create a fragmented experience for employees and a difficult ecosystem for employers to manage.

Vendor sprawl can lead to:

  • Overlapping costs and redundant programs
  • Fractured member experience
  • Reduced visibility into what is and isn’t working
  • Unclear ownership and limited accountability
  • Greater administrative burden for HR and benefits teams

The result is often a complex benefits strategy that looks comprehensive on paper but makes it much harder to understand where cost, risk, and performance truly sit.

Ask yourself:

  • Is vendor complexity masking underperformance?
  • Are multiple solutions working together or against each other?
  • Are we managing so many vendors we can’t hold them all fully accountable?
  • Are we adding programs without improving outcomes?

Your biggest cost drivers may be hiding in plain sight

Fertility, maternity, and menopause are among the largest and least visible drivers of healthcare costs. When these needs are managed through disconnected vendors, employers often miss opportunities for early intervention, coordinated care, and prevention of avoidable high-cost claims.

An integrated approach can reduce these costs by improving care coordination, surfacing risk earlier, and creating a more connected experience across every stage of women’s health.

Programs that actively coordinate care across fertility, maternity, menopause, and related health needs are better positioned to improve outcomes while reducing long-term cost and operational complexity.

Five questions every employer should ask before renewing

As you prepare for renewal conversations or evaluate new vendors, pressure-test your current strategy with these five questions:

  1. What are the greatest sources of cost and risk within this program?
  2. How do you attribute ROI and cost savings to measurable clinical outcomes?
  3. Are your reported results based on all members, or only a subset of data?
  4. How do you coordinate care across fertility maternity, menopause, and related needs to reduce fragmentation?
  5. What ongoing reporting, benchmarking, and performance reviews do you provide between renewals?

The strongest partners should be able to answer these questions clearly and confidently.

What accountability should look like

Accountability isn’t a once-a-year conversation. Strong vendor partnerships should include:

  • Standardized reporting tied to clear outcomes
  • Member-level insights and benchmarking
  • Ongoing performance reviews, not just renewal discussions
  • Transparency into where costs are rising, risks are emerging, and intervention is working
  • A commitment to continuous optimization over time

Employers should expect more than selective reporting and success stories. Strong partners provide transparent, member-level reporting, benchmark performance over time, and demonstrate results across their full population, not just a small sample. Progyny independently validates outcomes across all member data rather than relying on self-reported results or a subset of members. Transparency gives employers confidence that reported outcomes are real, repeatable, and directly connected to value.

Cost management requires active partnership, not passive purchasing

As healthcare costs rise, employers can’t afford a “set it and forget it” approach to benefits. The most effective strategies actively manage care delivery, simplify the vendor ecosystem, and focus on long-term sustainability.

Organizations that take a proactive, integrated approach are better positioned to control costs, improve clinical outcomes, reduce operational complexity, and defend benefits investments to finance and executive teams.

Before your next renewal conversation, ask whether your current partners are helping you control cost, reduce risk, and deliver measurable value – or are they making it harder to see what’s working and what isn’t.

Ready to test your current approach?

Learn how benefits teams are containing costs and transforming women’s health with Progyny’s integrated model.

And, when you’re ready to start evaluating your fertility and women’s health vendors, check out our strategic benefits planning guide.

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The future of women’s health benefits is integrated care https://progyny.com/blog/fertility-in-the-workplace/future-of-womens-health-benefits-is-integrated-care/ Mon, 13 Apr 2026 21:04:19 +0000 https://progyny.com/?p=31112 Integrated care is the most effective way to improve outcomes and control costs in women’s health. Connecting fertility, maternity, menopause, […]

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Integrated care is the most effective way to improve outcomes and control costs in women’s health. Connecting fertility, maternity, menopause, and ongoing support reduces fragmentation, improves coordination, and gives employers clearer visibility into impact.

The women’s health benefits market has expanded rapidly and become increasingly fragmented. As workforce needs have evolved, many benefits leaders have found themselves caught in a cycle of adding new vendors in an effort to keep up. 

While well-intentioned, this approach has created new challenges. Vendor management has become complex, and the impact of these solutions is difficult to measure due to siloed platforms and a lack of member-specific outcomes data. 

This challenge is especially pronounced in women’s health — a complex, longitudinal area of care that spans multiple life stages, conditions, and care settings. Without a more integrated approach, it becomes even harder to deliver meaningful outcomes or understand what’s truly working. 

Why fragmented women’s health benefits are falling short 

While many vendors have expanded to offer broader solutions, most still operate within disconnected systems and experiences. The result is a fragmented ecosystem that places the burden of coordination on both employees and benefits leaders. 

For employers, managing these solutions can be complex: 

  • Multiple vendor relationships, contracts, eligibility rules, and claims processes
  • Limited visibility into outcomes and siloed data, making it difficult to assess value and ROI
  • Increased administrative burden from managing disconnected experiences

For employees, fragmentation can make an already emotional and complex experience feel even more challenging. According to Progyny research, many report spending more time than expected trying to understand costs and coverage, navigate authorization requirements, and manage treatment logistics, all while facing the stress of potentially spending money on ineffective treatments or medications.  

Increased costs and reduced outcomes 

When care isn’t coordinated, employees are more likely to delay treatment, disengage from available resources, or miss opportunities for earlier intervention. Disconnected fertility and maternity support can contribute to higher-risk pregnancies, more avoidable complications, and increased medical spend.  

These poorer outcomes drive higher costs for both employees and employers. At the same time, siloed programs make it difficult for employers to identify trends, intervene earlier, and understand what is driving costs across their population. 

Integrated care models create a different dynamic. With connected care journeys, employers gain a more complete view of member needs and can better support earlier, more proactive care. 

The future is coordinated, outcomes-driven care

A unified women’s health benefit influences employee satisfaction, productivity, retention, and workforce participation. It also shapes how employees perceive their employer and whether they feel supported during critical life moments.  

The most effective models share several characteristics: comprehensive care across life stages, human-led support, transparent reporting, and accountability for outcomes. 

Progyny’s integrated solution delivers this through: 

  • One trusted partner across fertility, maternity, menopause, and related care needs
  • Access to specialized, high quality provider networks
  • Human-led care, navigation, and coaching
  • Technology-enabled navigation and insights 
  • Robust, transparent data, reporting, and performance measurement 
  • Accountability for both member experience and clinical outcomes 

Progyny members work with a dedicated Progyny Care Advocate who understands their history, helps them navigate care, and connects them to the right providers and support at the right time. 

The result is a better member experience and stronger outcomes. Progyny members experience: 

23%
higher live birth rates 
41%
fewer retrievals per live birth 
61%
fewer high-risk maternity journeys among members receiving fertility care 
91%
improvement in menopause symptoms 

The future of women’s health benefits is not a collection of disconnected programs. It’s an integrated strategy designed to improve employee experience, strengthen outcomes, and deliver measurable business value. Employers that make the shift now will be better positioned to support their workforce — and compete for talent — in the years ahead.  

Learn how Progyny’s approach supports women’s health across every stage of life.

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Advancing maternal health: turning awareness into action https://progyny.com/blog/advancing-maternal-health-turning-awareness-into-action/ Fri, 23 Jan 2026 21:13:14 +0000 https://progyny.com/?p=30441 By Bilikis Jumoke Oladimeji MD, MMCi, FAMIA, CPHIMS, SVP of Clinical Programs at Progyny Childbirth has been a joyful event […]

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By Bilikis Jumoke Oladimeji MD, MMCi, FAMIA, CPHIMS, SVP of Clinical Programs at Progyny

Childbirth has been a joyful event for generations. A range of celebratory activities from cultural and religious traditions to baby showers have long supported maternal and child wellbeing. Babies often evoke deep and overwhelming emotions that surprise parents and observers alike.

At Progyny, we built our foundation on helping women and families achieve their dreams of having children through our industry-leading fertility offering. But while society has long romanticized mothers’ swelled bellies and swaddled newborns, the joy is sometimes truncated by the sad reality of poor maternal health outcomes.

Looking at the reality   

As a woman, doctor, and informaticist, I have a strong passion for women’s health, and maternal health is an area I have explored widely since medical school. This interest was fueled by the unfortunate reality that most maternal deaths and complications are preventable. Globally, maternal mortality is “unacceptably high” with 92% of maternal deaths occurring in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

Growing up in Nigeria, I witnessed many cases of maternal deaths, near misses, and complications firsthand. It was surprising to learn after moving here over a decade ago that the U.S. lags many of its counterparts in maternal health outcomes. For example, U.S. Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) is double that of most OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries. It’s critical that we increase awareness of the data and the reality of the situation so that we can then identify solutions for change.

A need for change

At the start of 2026, we were hit with the heart-wrenching news about Dr. Janell Green Smith, CNM, a Black midwife and maternal health expert in South Carolina, who died from childbirth complications, one of the outcomes she had dedicated her career to preventing. Her heartbreaking story is all too common. The most recent data for pregnancy-related mortality rates shows 18.4 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in the U.S. and shows vast disparities including 45 for non-Hispanic Black women.

In 2025 I published an article that traces my origins in Nigeria through building a family, detailing stats on maternal mortality and morbidity and disparities. I’ve learned one thing for sure: we must do better! The research and becoming a mother myself have unearthed nuances of systemic successes and failures that I apply every day to do my part in elevating the standard of care, improving experiences, and shifting maternal health metrics in the right direction.

A hard look at morbidity 

Maternal mortality is a pressing issue, but morbidity has significant health consequences. For every pregnancy-related death, there are about 70 cases of severe maternal morbidity. Complex contributing factors, often interconnected, can be delineated as systemic (physician/midwife ratio, reimbursement, maternity deserts, hospital incentives, policies and procedures, bias and discrimination, and SDOH, to name a few), and individual health factors, e.g., poor health prior to conception including chronic diseases like obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, and advancing maternal age. These health factors contribute to common pregnancy-related complications including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia/eclampsia, sepsis, hemorrhage, and preterm birth. Further, cardiovascular disease and mental health diseases are some of the most common pregnancy complications. With a need to improve care of both moms and babies, a stronger preventive and postpartum focus will ensure better outcomes.

Cost considerations for employers

Poor maternal health remains stuck in a vicious cycle with high costs. Care access challenges are prevalent amid high medical expenses and poor outcomes. Even as many U.S. employers provide medical coverage and leave benefits, care continues to lag with costs soaring. For U.S. births, it’s estimated that total maternal morbidity costs were $32.3 billion from conception through the child’s fifth birthday. And while Medicaid on the average finances 41% of U.S. births, the remaining costs fall on patients, charitable organizations, and – primarily – private health insurers, through which employers bear the brunt. A recent survey projects a 9.1% increase in healthcare expenses for 2026, with some employers facing double-digit hikes. Maternity and neonatal costs are the second highest cost driver for employers. Still, the outcomes show insufficient support for mothers.

Advancing and supplementing medical care options

The key to both improving maternal health outcomes and lowering spend is enabling early, connected care through innovative solutions across fertility, maternity, and postpartum with clinical and non-clinical support. Alignment among care providers supports health goals, chronic disease management, care navigation, education, social needs, and continuous provision of evidence-based care. Consistent, integrated care must span from pre-conception through postpartum so providers can proactively identify and manage risks, track results, and optimize health outcomes.

With training and work in health informatics, I also recognize the power of data and technology-enabled innovation to reshape the women’s health journey. Despite promises, disparate one-click health apps or solutions can’t successfully support end-to-end medical needs; they create more fragmentation in care. To improve outcomes, we must harness value at the intersection of research, health, and technology, solving issues relating to data fragmentation, education, and communication via durable, comprehensive solutions that make a lasting impact.

Intentional change for a more joyful future 

Growing families require the collective effort of healthcare providers, policymakers, and employers to close gaps in maternal health globally. Advocacy, technology, and action for health and equity have evidence for impact. Maternal health must be grounded in trusted, expert guidance, personalized for each patient’s needs throughout their entire journey. Through delivery of compassionate, comprehensive, connected care, let’s intentionally restore joy in childbirth experiences.

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The gratitude benefits leaders don’t always see — but deserve https://progyny.com/blog/fertility-in-the-workplace/the-gratitude-benefits-leaders-dont-always-see-but-deserve/ Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:53:21 +0000 https://progyny.com/?p=29748 The value of family building and women’s health benefits extends beyond utilization metrics to trust, relief, and long-term loyalty. Human […]

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The value of family building and women’s health benefits extends beyond utilization metrics to trust, relief, and long-term loyalty. Human impact is part of the ROI even when it shows up in thank-you notes and lived experience instead of a dashboard.

As the year comes to a close, many benefits leaders are taking a moment to reflect — not just on the programs they’ve implemented, but on the impact those programs have had on people’s lives. What often gets missed in the day-to-day is the quiet gratitude employees feel when they’re supported during some of their most meaningful moments. 

Across the organizations we partner with, employees consistently share how deeply women’s health and family building benefits have shaped their journeys — and how thankful they are for the teams who made that support possible. 

What employees are thankful for 

Employees often tell us how comprehensive women’s health and family building support changed their experience — not because everything was easy, but because they never had to navigate it alone. 

What our members have told us:

“I literally found the person at the company who brought the benefit to us and I sent her a pretty heart felt message to her letting her know how much she impacted our life.”
Progyny Member
“What was amazing about Progyny was that from day 1, I felt like they were a part of our care team.”
Progyny Member
“Man, life changing. Progyny is amazing. This is where your life can change, your childbearing, family creating dreams can come true. It starts with them.”
Progyny Member
“Having the opportunity to see a menopause certified [provider] from anywhere, without having to travel a long distance or wait 6-12 months has been great. [Having someone] who listens and is educated on menopause care is a huge relief.”
Progyny Member

These are moments that stay with employees, shaping how supported they feel at work. And standing behind these moments are the benefits leaders who championed the right support at the right time.

Why benefits leaders can be proud of the impact they’ve made

Behind every meaningful employee experience is a benefits leader who pushed for something better — someone who understood that continuity, personalization, and access aren’t just “features” but lifelines when employees need them most.

Benefits leaders who deliver the strongest impact are the ones who champion programs built around what employees need. Best-in-class women’s health and family building benefits include:

  • High quality care and support across life stages
  • Dedicated care advocates and smart technology that guide members step by step and connect them to the right care at the right time
  • Transparent and detailed patient-level reporting that helps employers track outcomes
  • Equitable access so every employee can get the support they deserve

When benefits are designed this way, employees feel the difference—and many share their appreciation directly with their HR and benefits teams.

What our clients have told us:

“I know, not just from my own experience, but from employees that reach out to me and say, wow, this was incredible. I know what a big difference it’s going to make and currently does make for anyone that’s accessing it. And that’s an amazing feeling, to know that you’re making a difference at the end of the day. I think that’s why we’re here.”
Progyny Client
“A lot of tears and a lot of cheers. We got emails. Even to this day, since we’ve launched Progyny, the number one email that our CEO gets about benefits is for Progyny, and it’s just being thankful that they were able to start a family.”
Progyny Client
“There was tears of joy, there was jumping up and down. There were people who may have not thought about it to be begin with, and then really started to think I might not be ready for kids now, but what if down the road I am ready then, and what are my options when it comes to that? It really made people think. It was so positive. I wish all of my benefit announcements were that positive.”
Progyny Client
“We had an employee who he and his wife struggled for years with infertility. We added this benefit [Progyny] and they had pretty much given up on the ability to start a family. When we launched it, they took advantage. His wife had a successful pregnancy, and they’re now trying for their second child. He tells everyone that he sees, and thanks them, and brings tears to everyone’s eyes when he thanks them.
Progyny Client

These moments of gratitude are a powerful reminder: benefits leaders aren’t just managing programs — they’re shaping life-changing experiences.

Looking ahead: Building on what works

As we look to 2026 and beyond, employers are thinking holistically about health and well-being, prioritizing benefits that bring simplicity and meaningful impact to employees’ lives.

What’s working today is clear. Connected, member-first women’s health and family building programs create healthier families, more supported teams, and workplaces grounded in compassion.

Gratitude isn’t just a reflection of what went well — it’s guidance for where to continue investing.

Continue the conversation

Progyny’s integrated approach delivers personalized care, measurable outcomes, and meaningful support across life stages — helping benefits leaders create healthier, better-supported workforces.

If you’re exploring ways to strengthen your women’s health and family building strategy, we’d love to connect.

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Supporting breastfeeding: A win for families and employers https://progyny.com/blog/fertility-in-the-workplace/supporting-breastfeeding-a-win-for-families-and-employers/ Wed, 06 Aug 2025 19:17:23 +0000 https://progyny.com/?p=28674 August is National Breastfeeding Month — a time to raise awareness of the physical, emotional, and economic benefits of breast/chestfeeding, […]

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August is National Breastfeeding Month — a time to raise awareness of the physical, emotional, and economic benefits of breast/chestfeeding, while recognizing the barriers many parents face.

Human milk and the bonding act of nursing offer well-documented health advantages for both babies and parents — and they represent an area where thoughtful employer support can make a meaningful difference.

Breastfeeding / chestfeeding is rewarding, but often takes practice and support

As Sianna Plavin, a midwife, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and Progyny Care Advocate, explains: “Human milk is an incredible thing! A parents’ body adapts to their baby, supplying milk jam-packed with immune support against both mild and life-threatening infections. Their body alters the nutrient balance when a baby is preterm to support brain development, and protects against asthma, allergies, and digestive problems. Skin-to-skin contact during nursing releases bonding hormones for baby and parent, which in turn improves baby’s brain development and can protect parents against postpartum mood disorders. Any and all human milk and nursing are wonderful for parents and babies when it is safe, appropriate, and desired.”

Despite the clear benefits Sianna outlines, support and education for families on the topic is often limited or delayed. The breast/chestfeeding journey is physically and emotionally demanding and the learning curve can come as a surprise to many new parents. In one 2020 study, 85% of mothers reported that breastfeeding was “different” than they expected, with many citing complexity as a major factor.

The early postpartum period is already a vulnerable time. Up to 20% of women experience perinatal mental health conditions, and for breast/chestfeeding, or pumping parents, the responsibility of being a baby’s sole source of nutrition can feel overwhelming, especially when paired with the logistical challenges of pumping, storing milk, or managing travel for work. These difficulties can lead new parents to stop nursing and/or pumping earlier than they would have preferred.

Employer support makes a measurable impact

Employers have a responsibility to support new parents, and the data shows it pays off. Lactation programs and feeding-friendly policies are associated with reduced absenteeism, improved focus, and better health outcomes for both parents and babies.  

Here’s how thoughtful workplace support translates into real benefits: 

How Progyny supports breastfeeding / chestfeeding parents — and their employers

Progyny’s comprehensive women’s and family health solution is designed to support members at every stage of the journey, from preconception to postpartum and beyond. This includes guidance for all parents—whether they’re breast/chestfeeding, pumping, formula feeding, or using a combination. 

At Progyny, we believe early, empathetic help during the breast/chest feeding journey can make all the difference. Our team of nurses and midwives offer support, provide education, and connect members to telehealth resources for fast, effective interventions to support parents and babies. For parents who choose to breast/chestfeed, Progyny offers a suite of products to make the experience more manageable, sustainable, and successful: 

  • On-demand lactation support: Through the Progyny app, members can access educational resources, connect with lactation consultants 24/7 via live coaching calls, and send unlimited questions via secure messaging. 
  • Doula support: Progyny’s nationwide doula access provides 24/7 support with trained non-medical professionals who offer physical, emotional, and informational support before, during, and after childbirth, including breast/chestfeeding education and guidance. Parents who received doula support were 2.5 times more likely to continue breast/chestfeeding at three and six months postpartum. 
  • Return-to-work planning: Progyny’s Pregnancy and Postpartum product gives members access to 1:1 coaching to plan for lactation and feeding, before and after birth, including personalized strategies for continuing breast/chestfeeding after returning to work. 
  • Milk shipping: For nursing parents who travel for work, Progyny’s milk shipping benefit includes expert guidance on pumping, safe milk storage, recommended packing materials, and reimbursement for shipping expenses. 
  • Benefits navigation: Progyny’s navigators provide tailored support, assisting members with optimizing available health benefits, including acquiring free breast pumps. 

When the workplace works for new parents, everyone benefits. With thoughtful policies and the right tools, employers can empower women and all birthing parents to pursue both their professional and personal goals. 

Learn more about how you can support new parents embarking on their feeding journey across your organization.

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Supporting parents and families: What we prioritize says a lot https://progyny.com/blog/supporting-parents-and-families-what-we-prioritize-says-a-lot/ Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:54:44 +0000 https://progyny.com/?p=27818 By Scott Liebman, SVP of Product Strategy and Development As both a parent and a benefits professional myself, I find […]

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By Scott Liebman, SVP of Product Strategy and Development

As both a parent and a benefits professional myself, I find that I spend a good deal of time thinking about what it means to truly support parents and children – not just in words, but in action. And let’s be honest, we don’t always get it right.

Many benefits decision makers and employees are parents, which helps explain why over the years many employers started to offer flexible time off, employee assistance programs, and other family-focused benefits. But is “offering” them enough? What we need to be asking is: are these benefits easy to find and are they designed in a way that fills the immediate needs of families? According to MetLife’s 2024 employee benefits survey, 38% of families wished their employer had provided more guidance in accessing benefits and resources tailored to their specific needs. How do you make sure you are maximizing your maternity and return to work benefits? How do you find a caregiver for a child with special needs? What if you aren’t getting enough sleep?

Similar to how our health needs change throughout life, our parenting needs change as well through various stages of the journey. So, when parenting support is offered, we should be thinking of it through the cycle, starting with family building support and continuing through the adjustment to having a new child in the home. But then we need to recognize that the challenges of family life get even more complex as families grow and dynamics with a child and/or between children emerge. Families need a consistent, trusted voice to continue to guide them through this next chapter.

That’s been our approach at Progyny, and that’s why we continue to further expand our family support benefits and have launched the Parent & Child Well-being offering – a program designed to provide ongoing, personalized support for parents and caregivers.

Comprehensive Support for Parents and Families

“This is an incredibly helpful program that I’m so thankful my employer partners with! Everyone that I have met from this organization truly goes above and beyond and cares for all of their members …” – Stephanie C., Member

As shared above, studies find that the number one reason that new parents don’t feel cared about by their employer is that their employer is not doing enough to connect them to needed resources. Working and parenting is hard enough and takes just about every minute we have. So, without the right guidance, many employees struggle to navigate traditional employer benefits, find trusted resources, and balance the growing demands of work and family life. When employees can’t find the help they need, they don’t feel supported. For employers, it is a double whammy, employees aren’t happy, and employers aren’t getting the intended value from their investments in working parents.

That’s where our Parent & Child Well-being program comes in – offering expert-backed benefits guidance, return to work support, child development resources, parent coaching, and mental health support, – all in one easy-to-access program.

Whether someone is a first-time parent adjusting to sleepless nights, a caregiver navigating the needs of a neurodiverse child, or an employee returning to work after parental leave, our program provides personalized support to meet their needs. This includes:

  • Easy registration with both digital and call options for getting started.
  • Instant 24/7 access to relevant benefit plan information and a library of resources.
  • 1:1 consults with parenting experts to help with child development, sleep struggles, and work-life balance.
  • Group coaching and peer support to reduce feelings of isolation and foster community among parents.
  • Guidance on employer benefits to ensure employees maximize the resources available to them.

A Benefit that Benefits Employers

“They really ‘get us.’ Everyone understands our unique challenges and population and shares in our success stories.” – Client, Orlando, FL 

For employers, this solution isn’t just about supporting parents – it’s about improving engagement, retention, and overall workforce well-being. We know that when employees feel cared for, they’re more likely to stay with their company, be productive, and bring their best selves to work.

Our program also helps address the challenge of low utilization of parental support benefits by making sure employees know what benefits exist and how to access them – ultimately leading to higher ROI on existing employer benefit investments.

Our Commitment to Holistic Support  

At Progyny, we know that parenting needs change across the journey, and that’s why we are continuing to expand our services, supporting families beyond fertility. Parenthood doesn’t come with a manual (well, at least not one for your child(ren)), and no one should have to navigate these challenges alone. With the right Parent & Child Well-being program, working parents and caregivers have the tools, support, and community they need.  

For employers looking to make a real difference in the lives of their workforce, providing comprehensive parental support is no longer optional – it’s essential.

Interested in supporting parents and improving engagement, retention, and overall workforce well-being?

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Learning with our health plan partners in 2024 https://progyny.com/blog/fertility-in-the-workplace/learning-with-our-health-plan-partners-in-2024/ Wed, 15 Jan 2025 17:28:29 +0000 https://progyny.com/?p=27444 2024 was a landmark year for women’s and family healthcare. It was also a year of growth for Progyny – from members served to clients gained to products launched.

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Written by Holly Day, Senior Vice President, Health Plan Partnerships at Progyny

2024 was a landmark year for women’s and family healthcare. It was also a year of growth for Progyny – from members served to clients gained to products launched. The expansion of our health plan partnerships, with plans drawn to our clinically-driven program, played a role in that growth.

As we reflect back on our year of growth and the many ways the conversation around women’s healthcare evolved in 2024, there are three learnings we’ll take with us as we continue to expand our health plan partnerships in 2025 and beyond.

1. Keeping members at the core of our solutions is key.

Members have always been our guiding light. A core pillar of our solution is ensuring equitable, inclusive and comprehensive care to our members from preconception, fertility and family building through to pregnancy, postpartum and midlife care. And our benefit doesn’t stop with an equitable design; members have access to dedicated, concierge member support through our Progyny Care Advocates (PCAs). At the onset of a member’s journey, they are paired with a PCA who is matched to them based on their preferences, needs and unique journey. For example, a same sex couple can be matched with a PCA who has experience with reciprocal IVF or surrogacy; or, a single parent by choice looking to adopt can be matched with a PCA who specializes in the adoption process. Members are then supported with proactive outreach and on-demand support throughout their entire journey, with expert guidance, personalized education and digital tools.  

It turns out, keeping members at the center of your solution is the best approach – not just for members themselves, but the health plans that so often serve these members. Our member-first model is a big reason we can so seamlessly integrate into a plan’s existing ecosystem and programs, given a core function of health plan services is to create a more cohesive care experience for members across many other areas of healthcare. 

Not to mention, when you focus on creating a superior member experience, it translates to cost avoidance and an increased ability to manage risk. We’ve seen it firsthand and have the outcomes to prove it. 

2. The evolving legal landscape means it’s more important than ever to ensure workforces have access to equitable comprehensive women’s healthcare. 

The past year has shown how the legal landscape can, and will, evolve year-after-year. As a company who strongly believes that the right to build a family is a fundamental right for all, the shifting landscape underscored the importance of ensuring equitable, comprehensive access to women’s healthcare.  

When operating in an ever-evolving legal environment, we have to make sure members are supported with a robust, managed fertility and women’s health benefit. A member without a comprehensive benefit is left to navigate the questions and uncertainty alone, driving them towards treatment decisions that may not be right for them, or stopping them from pursuing treatment at all. A member with a comprehensive fertility and women’s health benefit has options, guidance and the ability to make evidence-based care decisions for themselves. 

One of the clearest paths to ensuring as many members as possible have access to the right women’s and family healthcare benefits? Choosing the right fertility and women’s health offering that meets not only member needs, but also new legislative mandates coming to fruition now, or into the future.  

3. Easy-on contracting is the fastest way to ensure more organizations have access to life-changing benefits. 

Point solution fatigue is real – and employers are feeling it more than ever as new benefits are popping up in the market on what seems like a monthly basis. Employers want to provide a comprehensive women’s health benefit for their members, but where do they start in terms of vetting a multitude of women’s health solutions that serve different areas of care?  

Progyny’s solution has everything needed to support women and families through all pivotal life stages. And what’s more, Progyny’s health plan partnerships feature several benefits for employer clients, including preferred pricing, streamlined billing and partner pre-vetting, to name a few. Another major benefit to employer clients? Easy-on contracting.  

Progyny’s health plan partnerships make it easier than ever for their employer clients to add comprehensive women’s health benefits to their ecosystems – and it’s often as easy as a contract amendment or election. 

As part of the plan partnership onboarding process, we work closely with our partner health plans to integrate into their claims processing, billing protocols and overarching program ecosystem, ensuring the option to include Progyny’s comprehensive women’s and family health benefits is seamless and straightforward – for all parties involved.  

With more women in the workforce than ever before, a complex legal landscape to navigate and rising healthcare costs, there’s never been a more crucial time to reflect and act on our learnings from the past year. 

We’re fortunate to work with some of the country’s leading and most innovative health plans. 

Here’s to another year of learning, growing and ensuring as many organizations as possible have access to comprehensive, equitable women’s and family health benefits. 

We’re fortunate to work with some of the country’s leading and most innovative health plans. Sign up to learn more about our health plan solutions.

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