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Your Fertility Journey

Your Fertility Journey

Helping you through yours

Fertility in the Workplace

18th November 2021 · In: Blog, Fertility Coach

Fertility in the workplace

The Fertility Podcast is back with a new series on fertility in the workplace. Through our corporate consulting at Your Fertility Journey and as medical advisor at Fertility Matters At Work we work with organisations to include fertility in the workplace as a priority on their wellbeing agenda. Over the last 18 months we’ve enjoyed working with various organisations including large UK Banks, law firms and regional councils.

There has long been a lack of awareness over how infertility can impact your experience at work. Not only are there the physical impacts of fertility treatment and pregnancy loss, but also the impact on mental health too. Although there is work being done to change how fertility is approached in the workplace, many people still feel afraid to have conversations with their employers for fear of how their career could be affected.

Channel 4 and the development of their pregnancy loss policy

In recent months, more organisations have published fertility and pregnancy loss policies. Channel 4 announced their Pregnancy Loss policy in April 2021. The Fertility Podcast welcomed Navene Alim, a senior lawyer within the corporate legal team at C4, and Landy Slattery, creative director of All 4, C4’s on demand platform, to talk about the policy and its importance. Both are the co-founders and co-chairs of the 4 Women network.

The policy was developed after the successful launch of the menopause policy in 2019. Wanting to build on the success of the menopause policy, surveys were sent out to C4 employees, with pregnancy loss appearing a major issue for the workforce. There was a realisation that people were struggling in silence.

Implementing the fertility in the workplace policy and adaptations along the way

C4 are making sure that training is provided for managers and colleagues to help support employees appropriately. In finding the best solutions for support, it is important to acknowledge that pregnancy loss is part of a woman’s working life, not just at home. Recognising this and having these conversations is the first step to implementing any policy.

Further findings since the policy launched have revealed that women were anxious about being passed over for promotion and conversations over topics such as childlessness were being discussed more. It is not just women that are affected by fertility struggles. C4’s policy provides support for men too. Male infertility is just as common as female infertility, being a 50/50 split.

The Education sector and the experiences of teachers

We interviewed 4 teachers on the Podcast to hear more about their unique experiences and why it is vital it is to implement fertility policies within education.

First up, we chatted with Caroline Biddle. Caroline was a secondary school drama teacher for 9 years. She no longer teaches but wants to change the way fertility issues in teaching are managed. She set up her organisation, Fertility Issues in Teaching, which is the first and only organisation to deliver specialist consultancy and training exclusively for schools to raise awareness around the impact to staff experiencing infertility and pregnancy loss. The organisation supports schools to recruit and retain the best staff by becoming inclusive, flexible, and equitable, as they move towards fertility friendly workplaces. Having gone through fertility treatment while teaching, Caroline experience different styles of support at different schools. Neither had fertility policies in place and she would have to explain every single appointment. This experience led her to the work she does now.

Claire Walker went through fertility treatment with her partner who was transitioning from female-male. Her employer at the time said that “IVF is elective like cosmetic surgery” without any understanding for her individual circumstance. Claire said comments like this made her feel undervalued, despite the hard work and hours that teachers dedicate to their jobs.

No longer a teacher, Claire Stewart- Hall now coaches people about race, adoption, and LGBTQ in the workplace. Back when she was a teacher, she experienced the trauma of a miscarriage after being punched in the stomach by a pupil. She also experienced difficulties of trying to conceive whilst juggling a busy role as a vice principle, as well as dealing with the taboos of being in a same sex relationship. Now undertaking a doctorate on race and policy in schools, she talked about how policy can be interpreted differently by individual schools. Struggles include how leaders will often select what they want out of the policy or interpret the policy based on their own individual experience.

In contrast, Nic Jessop’s experience has been a positive one. Her work environment was really supportive during her recent successful IVF treatment and frozen embryo transfer. Her employers had a good understanding of what’s involved in fertility treatments and her boss actively tries to understand what her employees are going through. This experience is an example that other schools should aim to follow.

The added stress of working in an unsupportive environment while going through fertility treatment should not be overlooked. This has a physiological impact on the body which could also affect a person’s ability to conceive.

These stories show just how important it is to make fertility a priority in workplace wellbeing. It’s time for change.

By: Kate · In: Blog, Fertility Coach

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  1. Wellbeing at Work: Making Fertility Part of the Wellbeing Agenda says:
    29th September 2022 at 3:50 pm

    […] In 2021, some organisations started offering paid fertility treatment and pregnancy loss leave. That being said, policies are meaningless without an organisational culture that is supportive and understanding of the unique fertility challenges faced by their employees. […]

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Amy King
13:43 16 May 22
Kate is like a wonderfully kind Aunt and a fountain of all knowledge. She is the perfect balance of information and warmth that is needed to help you muddle through. I would highly recommend booking in with Kate at whatever point of your fertility journey you are in. Thank you Kate for your time!
Rachael Wilding
11:41 05 May 22
I had 5 sessions of coaching with Kate Davies prior to, during and in the 2 week wait following my 3rd round of IVF.I’d had a tough time over my 2nd cycle and was losing the hope following a loss earlier in the year and a bunch of very negative test results. I really needed something to help me to get back on track. Sessions with Kate were the perfect tonic. Over Christmas I took a break from treatment and gained techniques from Kate to help build up resilience and self care basket ready for starting a 3rd cycle in February.I started treatment in early February and it went very smoothly. We had a fresh day 5 embryo transfer on 19th February. This was also the due date for the baby we lost last year and the feelings surrounding this date were big and mixed but Kate helped me through it.We had several sessions during the 2 week wait and learnt techniques to try and keep as rational and calm as possible and this was so so so beneficial. On our final session I was able to share the lovely news that it had been successful and we talked about the emotions that came with pregnancy after loss.Being a nurse myself I really appreciated her clinical advice on top of her support and practical techniques she gave to help me through this cycle. The support from my clinic was amazing but they were busy. To be able to sit with a knowledgeable, kind and compassionate healthcare professional for an hour at a time during treatment really helped to keep my stress levels low and to be in the best shape for getting through one of the most challenging few weeks I have ever been through with hope and sanity still intact. My favourite bit of advice was to make a plan for test day to have the time with my husband to talk and reflect on the outcome. We went out for a meal together and just talked and took in the news.I’m now 2nd trimester pregnant with a healthy little baby boy on the way and I still have to pinch myself at times to believe that it worked. It was a dark period of hopelessness following my 2nd cycle and honestly feel that with each session everything got lighter and lighter. I knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to and have a baby and having the extra support certainly helped me to throw everything at it too.
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19:58 26 Apr 22
Kate was fantastic, supportive, understanding and extremely knowledgeable . After suffering from amenorrhea for 16 months I didn't know what to do and have been feeling quite lost. Kate has been able to assist me in trying to find answers and maximise my fertility.
Warren Delay
09:18 10 Apr 22
I’ve been working with Kate for a good six months now. First she’s helped me understand my options and some of the tests i need to work through - as I have secondary infertility I’m not going to get much help off the nhs so having Kate there for solid guidance has been great. More recently Kate has helped me with some fertility coaching following a miscarriage which has really helped me to put coping mechanisms in place and feel more hopeful! Thanks Kate!Katie delay (not warren)
L Porter
08:11 02 Feb 22
Kate is very approchable, answered all of our questions. Excellent advice for us both. Instagram page & podcasts also very infromative.

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@your_fertility_nurse

This is fantastic news! The first step in the righ This is fantastic news! The first step in the right direction in supporting women (and men) with reproductive health in the workplace.
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The Government is set to amend the Employment Rights Bill to give parents the legal right to take time off work to grieve their loss, no matter what stage of pregnancy. 

No one who is dealing with the heartbreak of pregnancy loss should be forced to return to work until they are ready. At last, pregnancy loss is being recognised as a significant bereavement.
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The extended right to leave will be for ‘at least’ one week, however the exact length is still being consulted on. Let’s hope it’s for longer if needed…….
#pregnancylossawareness #miscarriage #work #fertilityintheworkplace
Winnie - a whole week of you! So many experiences Winnie - a whole week of you!

So many experiences so far and so much yet to see, do and learn.

Catkin is still bigger than you and is clearly the boss……..

@kanaswold_goldenretrievers_ #puppylove🐶 #goldenretrievers_ #goldenretrieversofinstagram
Winnie is making herself at home with these 3 ❤️❤️

@kanaswold_goldenretrievers_  #puppylove #goldenretrievers_ofinstagram #goldenretriever #goldenretrieversofinstagram
First wonderful day of YOU Winnie! #puppylove #go First wonderful day of YOU Winnie!

#puppylove #goldenretrievers_ofinstagram #goldenretrieversofinstagram #goldenretriever
Whaaattt? You’re bringing a golden retriever pup Whaaattt? You’re bringing a golden retriever puppy home tomorrow?? You’ve got to be kidding…….

Oh yes we are…….@kanaswold_goldenretrievers_

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