Fertility in the Workplace

Every day in Australia 283 women will hear the words "I'm sorry there is no heartbeat today" that's 103,000 couples a year who lose their baby to miscarriage or other forms of early pregnancy loss. Miscarriage is a traumatic event that is proven to induce an intense period of emotional distress, trauma and anxiety. Chances are there are many facing this loss and struggle within your organisation right now. What's in place to support them?

A recent study highlighted the need for better support systems for those experiencing early pregnancy loss. In the study of 650 women, by Imperial College London and KU Leuven in Belgium, 29% showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress one month after pregnancy loss, declining to 18% after nine months.

Most had been through an early miscarriage before 12 weeks - while the rest had had an ectopic pregnancy.One month following their loss, 24% had symptoms of anxiety and 11% of depression.

For too long miscarriage has been under a shadow of shame and taboo. Opening up the societal conversation and educating communities how best to support women and their partners, is vitally important if we are to improve and support the experiences of them in the future.

Our Fertility in the Workplace program covers employee support across mental health and wellbeing following a miscarriage, ensuring that workplaces have the information and tools needed to successfully support their staff.

Last year Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Minter Ellison and Tabcorp all adopted our Fertility in the Workplace program. Pictured above is one of our Panels at CBA Sydney. The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive providing people with tangible take aways in how to support others through fertility and pregnancy loss in the workplace.

The panel discussion covers policy changes needed to ensure access to bereavement leave and why this is an important step in validating miscarriage as loss and bereavement. We discuss real life case studies from male and female perspective of carrying the burden of losses whilst maintaining work commitments. How colleagues can support others through loss and fertility challenges with empathy and understanding. Finally what support is available to your organisation and your people.

Our next panel is Wednesday February 12th, 12.30pm - 1.30pm Luncheon at Minter Ellison Level 23, South Tower 525 Collins Street Melbourne. On the panel we have

If you would like to attend you need to register by clicking the below link.

If you have any queries but can't attend our panel you can reach out to me [email protected]