The best companies are constantly striving to create inclusive workplaces, and surrogacy is inextricably linked to supporting and retaining diverse talent. Surrogacy may be one of the only ways to build a genetic family for couples facing infertility, same-sex couples, and single parents by choice. Still, it can be an intensely emotional and costly path to parenthood. Adding surrogacy benefits to your employer package shows your commitment to supporting all families, regardless of how they’re built.
What is surrogacy?
Surrogacy is a form of assisted reproduction in which an aspiring parent or couple works with a third party to carry their baby to term, typically a gestational carrier. The parent or couple can contribute genetic material to the surrogate who will gestate the fertilized egg.
Types of surrogacy
There are two types of surrogacy, gestational and traditional:
Gestational surrogacy, also known as partial surrogacy or host surrogacy, is the most common type of surrogacy. In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate isn’t biologically related to the baby they are carrying. Instead, the embryo forms using IVF, and it may contain the intended mother’s (or donor’s) egg and the intended father’s (or donor’s) sperm. It is then transferred to the surrogate’s uterus.
Traditional surrogacy is currently much less common than gestational surrogacy, primarily due to legal and emotional complexities. However, it’s still a feasible option for some intended parents. This type of surrogacy requires the surrogate mother to use her own egg artificially inseminated with sperm from the intended father or a donor. The surrogate proceeds to carry and deliver the baby and then gives up her parental rights so that the intended parents can raise the child.
Surrogacy is inherently complex
Surrogacy is by nature a complex process with many moving parts, and it touches so many lives in so many different ways. From the aspiring parents and their gestational carriers, to the lawyers, the clinicians, and even the benefits specialists, the experience of surrogacy is as emotionally complex as it is legally. The hope, the joy, the fear, and the pain of loss are all amplified by the time-consuming processes your employees must endure to achieve successful surrogacy outcomes. For HR teams, it’s crucial to understand how much time and energy this process can take from your employees.
How do surrogacy benefits fit into your DE&I initiatives?
Many of the world’s best places to work are realizing the connection between supporting all paths to parenthood and building more inclusive workplaces. Consequently, the number of employers offering family-building benefits has grown over the past few years. Some larger companies, for example, have worked with their health plan to expand the definition of infertility to allow LGBTQIA+ couples or single women to access their fertility benefits for procedures such as egg freezing or in vitro fertilization (IVF), while close to 30% of large employers plan to add or enhance reimbursement for adoption and surrogacy services. Others are seeking to establish parity across reimbursement benefits for adoption, surrogacy, and fertility.
However, most plans fall short of the support employees need. Research shows that the lack of adoption and surrogacy options in benefit plans disproportionately affects LGBTQIA+ couples: many health plans require an infertility diagnosis by a medical doctor, which also includes proof of trying for a pregnancy for six months without success—which automatically disqualifies many same-sex couples. Offering comprehensive fertility benefits to all employees, including LGBTQIA+ and single parents, can help your organization build a more inclusive workplace.
Inclusive employers are winning the war for talent
As millennials and Gen Z employees and job seekers demand real action from employers to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion, HR benefits programs offer a timely opportunity to close gaps. 80% of millennials believe inclusion is essential when choosing an employer, and 54% say they would feel more loyal to their employer if they extended fertility benefits to LGBTQIA+ employees. On the other hand, 53% of millennials would leave a job for a more inclusive organization.
Research also illustrates that diversity matters for an organization’s bottom line, too— according to McKinsey, ethnically and socially diverse companies are more financially successful. The survey shows that companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to obtain financial returns above their respective national industry medians.
Exceptional care for starting a family and beyond
Maven is the leading global digital health platform for fertility, adoption, surrogacy, pregnancy, parenting, and menopause support.
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