Fertility treatments shouldn't cost a career or a promotion

I met the man who was to become my husband in December 2019.

- Bernice Yap

We both held regional sales roles where frequent travel was part of our lives. Then Covid-19 hit, and business trips came to a halt. In that unexpected quiet, our relationship blossomed and we eventually tied the knot.

In my early 30s and with my husband 10 years my senior, we were excited about starting a family soon after marriage. But after two years of trying naturally, our home pregnancy kits never turned positive.

Fertility check-ups revealed nothing abnormal. I faced a difficult decision. My doctor explained that I could either wait another year to try naturally, or consider IVF, especially since egg quality and quantity decline with each passing year.

But I had a demanding role at work with a significant portfolio. How many IVF cycles would I need to succeed? How long would I be absent from work, and who would cover for me? Would my career suffer? Would I lose my job?

The stress was overwhelming. I considered quitting my job to prioritise treatment. But my manager encouraged me to take three months' paid leave that I already had available.

Those months were a whirlwind of daily injections, hormonal treatments and agonising waits for results. Through it all, I was grateful I didn't have to carry the added burden of work. But for many women, they are not able to step away from their jobs to focus entirely on the physically and emotionally demanding journey of fertility treatment. Not all managers are able to engage in sensitive conversations like infertility. Nor are many couples able to pay for private treatment, as we did, or have paid leave they can use.

Companies and organisations need to look at better supporting employees who are undergoing IVF treatment — in terms of flexible work practices, awareness by colleagues, financial assistance, and empathy.

FERTILITY IN THE WORKPLACE: THE UNSPOKEN STRUGGLE