Supporting women's health

Routine care and overall well-being is essential during pregnancy. Excessive stress can have a direct impact on maternal and child health, and negative experiences with stigma and shame can make a woman more likely to exit the workforce following childbirth or a loss.

Our benefits support women before, during, and after pregnancy to build resilience and help achieve the best possible health outcomes for mothers and their children. These include:

• A subscription to on-demand emotional and mental health support via text from certified and licensed doulas, midwives, and nurses.
• Care Managers who provide resources and guidance for members with high-risk pregnancies, infants in the NICU, and children with acute illnesses.
• Reimbursements for childbirth and breastfeeding classes.
• Pediatric care savings for sick PCP visits and behavioral health visits for members age 18 and younger.

Pelvic health relates to the health of the bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs, which are supported by the pelvic floor muscles. Women with pelvic floor dysfunction experience a range of symptoms including pain, bloating, and urinary urgency. These symptoms can lead to stress and shame that impacts women in their daily lives.

To help improve pelvic floor strength and provide relief from symptoms, we offer a clinical-grade pelvic health program that includes:

• 1:1 consultations with Pelvic Health Specialists that have a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree.
• Innovative technology that provides real-time biofeedback during interactive sessions.
• Progress tracking to measure improvement in pelvic health symptoms.
• Clinical insights on stigmatized topics.

 

In addition to physical effects, menopause can come with career and economic impacts. Some women have avoided a promotion during menopause, and others have considered leaving the workplace due to menopause symptoms.

To help members understand and manage their menopause symptoms, we offer a subscription to a virtual platform that includes:

• A custom wellness plan to address each member's top symptoms.
• 1:1 guided support through all phases of menopause.
• Evidence-based education and a private community for peer support.

It can be challenging to find a way to approach conversations about health concerns without feeling intrusive.

Employees aren't required to disclose health conditions, but creating a culture of support and compassion can make them more likely to reach out when they are in need of assistance. One way to make employees aware of benefits that support sensitive health topics—without singling anyone out—is to create an ongoing plan for education and awareness.

If an employee's work habits have changed or they are showing signs of presenteeism (low productivity due to illness or another condition), it might be time for a conversation. In this situation, employers should:

• Come to the conversation from a place of support and compassion. While job performance is important, it's essential for employees to feel cared for as individuals.
• Reassure employees that your discussion will be kept confidential.
• Don't ask if their performance is related to a health condition. Instead, keep the conversation focused on behaviors and ask if there is anything they need to be successful in their role.
• Listen to employees and let them lead the conversation in a direction they are comfortable with.
• Build trust through honesty and transparency around the benefits you offer and make sure they are aware that support is available if they need it.

In addition to gender bias, women of color also experience racial biases in healthcare. Black women experience more severe impacts from menopause, and the maternal mortality rate is significantly higher for Black women compared to white women.

You can learn more about the effects of gender and racial bias on women's health and how inclusivity can mitigate their impact in our eBook, Inclusive Perspectives.

Offering health benefits aimed at supporting women's health is a great first step. Beyond that, it's also important to foster a company culture of inclusivity.

Social stigma prevents many women from talking openly about their health. Topics like menopause, miscarriage, and mental health are often seen as taboo, uncomfortable, and even shameful. This can make it difficult for women to ask for assistance when they are going through these health situations.

Employers can help by creating a psychologically healthy workplace where employees don't fear discrimination. Here are some resources with information about additional ways to support your employees in this area:

• This is how employers can support employees dealing with pregnancy loss

• Want to support pregnancy as an employer? Make sure you have these benefits

• This is how bonding leave can benefit an employer

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to the healthcare experience