With two in five employees undergoing fertility treatment leaving their jobs or considering quitting, are companies doing enough?

• An international survey from Ferring, Fertility Matters at Work and This Can Happen reveals a significant gap exists between employees and employers in recognising the experience of undergoing fertility treatment¹
• Nearly all employees say fertility treatment impacts their mental health, yet only one third feel supported by their employer’s fertility policies¹
• Around the world, one in six people are affected by infertility,² and as a result assisted reproduction, such as IVF, now accounts for up to 12% of births in some countries^3,4,5,6
• With nearly three quarters of respondents indicating they would be attracted to a role that offers fertility support, clear fertility policies and supportive work cultures emerge as key levers to protect wellbeing and retain talent.¹

 

Saint-Prex, Switzerland – 26 November, 2025 – An international survey, spanning Australia, France, Japan, Poland and the UK, has found that many employees experiencing fertility challenges lack support in the workplace, with almost two in five (39%) leaving or considering leaving their roles while undergoing treatment.¹

 

The ‘The Impact of Fertility Challenges at Work: International Insights’ survey by Ferring,  Fertility Matters at Work and This Can Happen shows that, despite growing awareness of reproductive health, two thirds (67%) who have experienced fertility challenges say that their workplaces do not offer support for employees undergoing fertility treatment, with France the least likely to provide it (88%).¹ 60% said they were not clearly entitled to time off for fertility appointments, with time recorded as paid leave, unpaid leave or annual leave (26%),me also reported taking sick leave due to a lack of flexibility (17%).¹

 

With assisted reproduction therapy, including IVF, egg freezing and donor conception, already accounting for up to 12% of births in some countries,^3,4,5,6 employee expectations are rapidly shifting. 73% of those experiencing fertility challenges say they would be attracted to a role that provides fertility support, reinforcing the need for clearer, more consistent workplace policies.¹

 

A large gap also emerged between employers and employees regarding the impact of going through fertility treatment. While three quarters (75%) of employers feel their organisation acknowledges fertility treatment as a significant life event, only 27% of employees who have experienced fertility challenges agree.¹ As a result, more than a fifth (22%) currently felt unsupported by their organisation, rising to 38% in Poland, and more than a third (36%) have felt pressure from their employer to be at work while undergoing treatment or investigations.¹

 

Mental health impact was one of the most consistent themes across all countries. 94% of employees reported that fertility treatment affects their mental wellbeing, with 80% experiencing anxiety or depression during their fertility journey.¹

 

Despite this significant emotional burden, 22% of employees have not informed anyone at work about treatment, rising to 43% in Japan.¹ Overall, employees citied reasons such as it being a personal matter (22%), not feeling comfortable (21%) and impact on career prospects (14%).¹ However, for those who did disclose their treatment, 67% felt their organisation responded positively, highlighting the benefit of creating an open culture and safe environment at work.¹

 

However, the survey did show that practice is starting to change with signs employers recognise the importance of fertility support on employee engagement and talent attraction. 35% plan to implement standalone fertility guidance and 58% either already include fertility and family-building challenges as part of their workforce engagement and wellbeing strategy or will be in the future.¹ Taken together, this represents a clear opportunity for organisations to go further and strengthen support, improve internal communication about their policies, reduce attrition, and differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive talent landscape.

 

“At Ferring, we believe that every individual deserves compassionate and practical support during their fertility journey. This research highlights the challenges employees face and reinforces the importance of clear policies, open conversations and workplace cultures that recognise fertility as a significant moment in people’s lives,” said Christelle Beneteau, Chief People Officer, Ferring.

“Fertility treatment is a challenging time, yet the report shows that many people are still navigating it without the support they need, from manager training and awareness to entitled leave,” said Becky Kearns, Co-Founder of Fertility Matters at Work “We have seen first-hand how employees who receive fertility support feel more committed to their employer. More workplace recognition and clearer fertility policies could make a huge difference for individuals and organisations, with those who feel supported less likely to leave their jobs.”

 

“Mental wellbeing and fertility challenges are deeply connected, yet too often overlooked in workplace strategies. This research shows that creating supporting cultures and clear support policies isn’t just compassionate – it’s essential for retaining talent and protecting mental health,” said Kathryn Courtenay-Evans, This Can Happen.

 

Given that infertility now affects roughly one in six people globally,² the report makes it clear that workplaces must urgently transform how they support people navigating fertility treatment. This means proactively creating inclusive, open, and supportive cultures, and implementing clear fertility policies to ensure consistent guidance and access to support.

 

About ‘The Impact of Fertility Challenges at Work: International Insights’ survey  

Jointly run by Fertility Matters at Work (FMAW), This Can Happen, and Ferring Pharmaceuticals and funded by Ferring, the survey aims to explore how fertility challenges impact people in the workplace and how employers can offer better support.

The survey, of over 3,600 employees and employers, was initially conducted in the UK and has since been rolled out to Australia, Japan, Poland and France. An interim report focused on the UK results was published in July 2025, and the full results from across the five markets was subsequently published in November 2025.

For more detailed country-specific statistics, please refer to the Supplementary Data Sheet or the full report available here

 

About Ferring’s commitment to supporting fertility and family-building in the workplace

Building Families at Ferring is a global family-building benefits package introduced by Ferring to support employees looking to build a family. Launched in July 2022, the programme includes up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents, financial support for fertility treatments and comprehensive workplace and counselling support.

Ferring is also investing in research to support employers with guidance on creating a fertility and family-friendly workplace. The ‘Infertility and family-building: bridging the gap in workplace mental health support’ employer guidance provides practical steps businesses can take to support employees’ mental wellbeing during family-building journeys.

Ferring is also a founding champion and co-chair of the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business and supports the aim of mobilising private sector action and investments in sexual and reproductive health and rights in the workplace.

 

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a privately owned specialty biopharmaceutical group committed to building families and helping people live better lives. We are leaders in reproductive medicine with a strong heritage in gastroenterology and urology and are at the forefront of innovation in uro-oncology gene therapy. Ferring was founded in 1950 and employs more than 7,500 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Saint-Prex, Switzerland, and has operating subsidiaries in more than 50 countries which market its medicines in over 100 countries.

Learn more at www.ferring.com, or connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X.

 

About Fertility Matters at Work

Fertility Matters at Work is a UK-based non-profit social enterprise founded in 2020 by three women who experienced firsthand the challenges of navigating fertility issues while working. FMAW partners with UK and global organisations to build fertility-friendly workplaces through their comprehensive Fertility Friendly Employer accreditation programme.

Their approach encompasses policy development and guidance, awareness campaigns, line manager training, peer support networks, employee education, e-learning modules, and practical resources - all designed to foster supportive practices and cultures around fertility.

Beyond direct employer engagement, FMAW drives systemic change through research that has been cited in UK Parliament and thought leadership across media platforms and industry events, positioning them as leading voices in workplace fertility support.

 

About This Can Happen

This Can Happen supports companies globally to understand, educate and measure mental wellbeing in their workplace. We are trusted partners in mental wellbeing of global organisations, empowering them to prioritize mental wellbeing and create supportive environments for their employees. We conduct insight projects that look to collect data in areas where we believe there is work to be done to support workplaces support their employees better. Previous research has looked into how to support Grief in the workplace. For more information visit https://www.thiscanhappenglobal.com/ or hello@thiscanhappenglobal.com

 

For more information, please contact:

 

Matthew Worrall
Director of Corporate Communications, Ferring
+44 7442 271 811(mobile)
matthew.worrall@ferring.com

 

Becky Kearns

Co-founder and CEO, Fertility Matters at Work
becky@fertilitymattersatwork.com

 

Kathryn Courtenay-Evans

Insight and Strategy Director, This Can Happen

kathryn@thiscanhappenglobal.com

 

¹ Ferring/Fertility Matters at Work/This Can Happen. 2025. Data on file

² World Health Organization. Infertility data. Available at: www.who.int/health-topics/infertility. Last accessed: November 2025

³ Newman JE, et al. Assisted reproductive technology in Australia and New Zealand 2022. Available at: https://www.unsw.edu.au/content/dam/pdfs/medicine-health/npesu/research-reports/2024-09-npesu/2024-09-assisted-reproductive-technology-in-australia-and-new-zealand-2022.pdf. Last accessed: November 2025. 

⁴ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National ART Surveillance. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/art/php/surveillance/index.html. Last accessed: November 2025.

⁵ BBC. Why is IVF so popular in Denmark? Available at: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-45512312. Last accessed: November 2025.

⁶ IVIRMA. SEF 2022 Report Data. Available at: http://iviglobaleducation.com/en/12-of-births-in-spain-are-due-to-assisted-reproduction-sef-2022-report-data. Last accessed: November 2025.