Around 1 in 6 people globally are impacted by infertility, according to estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO). This equates to a surprisingly high number of couples finding it difficult to conceive. One of the most common treatments for infertility is In-vitro Fertilisation (IVF). Despite its success, with around a third of cycles resulting in a live birth, IVF is a fertility treatment that is known for being emotionally and physically draining.
Unfortunately the majority of individuals and couples having fertility treatment still have to work alongside any treatment. This is because, according to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), unfortunately there is no legal right to time-off work for IVF treatment or related sickness in the UK. Juggling a career whilst trying to manage the unpredictable nature of fertility treatment can be a real challenge, adding additional stress onto what is already a very difficult time. As with other medical treatments, IVF can result in side effects which can impact your health and ability to work. Hormonal medication can take its toll on the body, causing strong mood swings, heavy fatigue, bloating, abdominal pain, headaches, nausea and more.Although it can feel like a balancing act, and difficult to navigate a career alongside IVF there is some guidance that you can take into account to try and take a bit of the pressure off. Here we present a guide to going through IVF whilst working.
The true impact of careers and fertility treatment
The results of a survey published by the Fertility Network UK really highlights the impact of work life on employees undergoing fertility treatment. The survey found that 15% of employees had quit their job or reduced their hours as a result of treatment, 58% stated they were worried treatment would affect their career, and 36% felt their career was negatively impacted. Only 35% felt they were supported at work, and of those who told their employer, only 47% said reasonable adjustments were made.
Below you will find guidance on steps you can take to try and make work and fertility treatment a little more compatible.
Utilise your annual leave (if you have it)
If you have it available, then you may want to consider taking some time off during IVF treatment, in particular, during the phase when you will be administering injections in the run-up to the egg collection and implantation procedure. This means that you can place your sole focus on your fertility treatment and not worry about work at all. However, we understand that this is not a realistic option for everyone and unfortunately many don’t have the luxury of enough annual leave and so there are other things you can do to make life easier.
Book appointments for the start or end of the day
By booking your medical appointments at the start or end of the day, it means that less of the day is lost to appointments. And if you work in London, having treatment with an IVF clinic in London near your work will help to reduce time spent during working hours.
Ask for flexible working hours
IVF is a very time consuming infertility treatment involving many appointments and procedures before implantation even occurs. And as we have already mentioned, IVF is not only difficult emotionally and physically but is a logistical challenge.
Depending on your employer and the type of work you do, you may be able to request your employer let you work flexibly or from home for a short period of time whilst you are administering injections and having fertility treatment. Many IVF appointments may be organised at short notice depending on how the follicles are behaving to the fertility medication each day. Your employer may be open to you working shorter days, or making up the hours taken for appointments.
Although there is no legal right for women undergoing IVF to have time off, many employers are sympathetic and are encouraged to take a flexible standpoint to requests for time off work for IVF. Although the vast majority of employers do not have policies in place to support IVF and other fertility treatment, a small but growing number are breaking the mould and instigating appropriate policies to support employees.
Confide in someone you trust at work
Although fertility is a very private and intimate subject and you may not want to disclose that you are having IVF to anyone at work, there are both benefits and also drawbacks to releasing this information to your manager. It is only natural to be worried about job security. However, having support at work can also make your life easier. Whilst it is a personal decision, you need to weigh up the benefits in terms of what works best for you.
Having the support of a team member or other person at work that you can trust and can confide in can make all the difference. With 1 in 6 couples having infertility, it may be the case that someone else at work has gone through the same and can offer support. It’s really helpful to have someone on your side when it comes to moving meetings and calendar conflicts, making work more comfortable.
At what point does a person undergoing fertility treatment have protection in the workplace?
ACAS states that once you have reached the embryo transfer stage (The point at which implantation has happened), legally you are classified as being pregnant and so from a legal standpoint you will have identical rights as any pregnant person. By this, we mean leave pay and protection from discrimination, harassment, and more.
Small steps towards change
Alongside the obvious aspects of fertility treatment, like side effects and the logistics of appointments, individuals and couples also need to deal with the emotional toll of an infertility diagnosis, the financial burden of medical costs, and the strain it can put on relationships.
It’s easy to think that IVF and fertility treatment impacts only women, but in truth it can heavily affect the work life of both partners in the relationship. Infertility itself is a medical condition so it begs the question: Why is infertility treatment not treated the same in the workplace as any other medical condition requiring treatment? There is a clear need for employers to step up to provide better support to individuals and couples, not only to better the wellbeing of their employees.
