Good care adds up: how proactive women’s health benefits lower costs for employers

For many employers, healthcare costs are driven by the moments when something doesn’t go to plan — a high-risk pregnancy, an emergency hospital visit, or a cancer diagnosis. By the time these events occur, care has already become more complex, more disruptive, and more expensive.

The opportunity lies in intervening earlier. When employees receive timely clinical guidance throughout their women's and family health journey — from family building and pregnancy to parenting and menopause — they're better equipped to access the right care before problems escalate.

This whole-journey model sits at the heart of Maven. As the State of Women's and Family Health Benefits 2026 report shows, employer investment in benefits has increased by 39%, yet employee perception of their benefits supporting them “very well” has fallen by 10%, highlighting the need for benefits that are connected, easy to navigate, and designed around the full continuum of care.

Fertility: Better guidance leads to better outcomes

Fertility rarely follows a straight path. Delayed diagnoses and fragmented care can leave employees navigating treatment through trial and error, increasing emotional stress while driving up healthcare costs. Earlier access to expert-led guidance helps employees understand their options sooner, reducing unnecessary treatment and creating a more coordinated path to pregnancy.

One Maven member experienced this firsthand. After more than a year of trying to conceive, being diagnosed with PCOS and an ectopic pregnancy, she felt unheard and unsure where to turn. 

“I felt like I had no support, and was just supposed to inherently know things about fertility and getting pregnant automatically. I was so frustrated and didn’t know what to do.”

It wasn’t until a colleague reminded her about Maven that she finally felt in control. With support from her multidisciplinary care team at Maven, including a naturopathic provider, fertility awareness counselor, and nutritionist, she was able to better understand her diagnosis, track ovulation more accurately, and find a more supportive OB-GYN. Just a few months later, she received a positive pregnancy test.

"We are now 11 weeks pregnant with a perfectly healthy baby, and I truly don't think I could've done it without Maven. Having someone to talk to and receive evidence-based guidance from has been one of the most valuable parts of my journey."

Her experience reflects a broader pattern seen across Maven's Fertility program. With coaching, Maven Fertility members are 55% more likely to conceive without treatment, while out of those undergoing IVF, 98% achieve a singleton pregnancy.

Maternity: Earlier intervention improves outcomes for families and employers

Clinical questions, changing symptoms, and unexpected complications can arise at any stage during pregnancy, making continuous access to expert guidance essential. But supporting healthy pregnancies isn't just about improving outcomes for families—it also helps reduce some of the highest-cost maternity claims. Preterm delivery complications, for example, can result in neonatal intensive care expenses averaging $64,800 per birth, contributing an estimated $6–14 billion in additional medical costs across employer-sponsored health plans each year. 

One member first joined Maven while navigating an IVF journey, and continued using Maven throughout pregnancy with round-the-clock support from a dedicated doula and other specialists. When she was unexpectedly induced at 37 weeks, having trusted experts providing advice and reassurance made all the difference.

"We talked about everything. Nutrition, hydration, self care, exercise... Every time I had a question she could give me guidance on the spot and then follow up with more resources after… that level of calm when you don't have it yourself is worth everything."

For another member, that continuity of care proved lifesaving. After experiencing severe hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy, she relied on Maven clinicians to know when to seek urgent care. Then less than 24 hours after returning home from childbirth, a Maven practitioner identified the warning signs of postpartum preeclampsia and urged her to go straight to the emergency department, where doctors confirmed she was close to experiencing a seizure.

"I owe my life and getting to watch my daughter grow up to Maven."

These experiences show why continuous maternity care matters. Maven helps members access the right care sooner to improve outcomes for both families and businesses, while reducing avoidable costs. Employers save an average of $9,600 per birth, while NICU admissions fall by up to 27% and C-section rates by up to 15% when members receive comprehensive Fertility and Maternity care.

Parenting and pediatrics: Supporting working parents beyond parental leave

Sleep deprivation, childhood illness, feeding concerns, and everyday parenting questions can all affect an employee's wellbeing, productivity, and ability to focus, with 48% of parents saying most days their stress is completely overwhelming. Without easy access to trusted clinical guidance, many parents turn to urgent care, expensive private services, or spend hours searching online for answers — adding to both the emotional and financial burden.

One Maven member experienced this when her ten-month-old son still wasn't sleeping through the night. Exhausted and struggling with postpartum anxiety, she and her husband were on the verge of spending $400 on a sleep consultant before discovering they already had access to Maven. Here she connected with a pediatric sleep specialist and finally found the reassurance and practical guidance she'd been missing.

"I knew going in that the newborn phase was going to be hard, but I kept waiting for it to get better and it just... didn't. All my friends with babies the same age were telling me their kids were sleeping through the night, and I was barely holding it together."

Within three weeks, he was sleeping through the night, but the value was ongoing — she now had a team she could continue turning to through sleep regressions, teething, and new parenting challenges for her now 16-month-old.

"As a first-time mom, feeling confident about something — anything — is huge. I literally tell my husband all the time: if Microsoft ever drops Maven, I don't know what I'll do."

This is just one example of how ongoing parenting support helps reduce stress, improve confidence, and minimize unnecessary urgent care, allowing parents to stay focused at work. For Maven Parenting & Pediatrics members, the impact is clear. 60% report being more productive, with a further 45% stating that Maven helps them feel less alone on their parenting journey. Together, these outcomes contribute to a healthier, happier workforce, with 74% of members more likely to stay with their employer.

Menopause: Helping experienced employees stay and thrive

Menopause affects millions of employees during some of the most experienced and senior years of their careers, yet many continue to struggle without timely access to providers experienced in menopause care. Symptoms such as brain fog, anxiety, disrupted sleep, and fatigue can affect confidence, productivity, and retention. In fact, menopause-related productivity losses are now estimated to exceed $150 billion globally each year, highlighting the growing cost of leaving symptoms unmanaged.

For one Maven member, brain fog became so severe that after 25 years with her employer, she began questioning whether she could continue working. After a year of referrals and unsuccessful treatment, she attended a workplace session on menopause and learned she had access to Maven through her employer. She booked an appointment the next day, was prescribed hormone therapy within 48 hours, and less than a month later, finally felt like herself again.

"Now that I've got my symptoms under control, I feel like I can continue to work as long as they'll have me and retire on my own terms… Maven literally saved my career."

Her story highlights an important shift in how employers can think about menopause support. After just three months, 93% of Maven Menopause members report a reduction in the severity of at least one menopause symptom, while 27% say Maven's expertise helps them stay in the workforce longer and continue pursuing their professional goals.

What is the ROI of proactive women's and family health benefits?

The member stories in this article are all different, but they share a common thread: rapid access to Maven’s expert guidance changed the course of their care journey for the better — whether by avoiding unnecessary treatment, identifying a life-threatening complication, supporting a struggling parent, or helping an employee continue her career through menopause.

"As I look for new jobs, I already know what my first question will be: Do you offer Maven?" — Maven member

Across an organization, these individual experiences become something much bigger. Earlier diagnoses, healthier pregnancies, improved productivity, and stronger retention all contribute to lower healthcare costs and better business outcomes. That's why leading employers are moving beyond isolated benefits towards connected, clinically guided care that supports employees across fertility, maternity, parenting, and menopause through a single platform.

If you're looking to strengthen your women's and family health benefits, reduce avoidable healthcare expenses, and improve workforce engagement, Maven can help. Contact our team to learn how Maven's end-to-end model delivers better outcomes for employees while maximizing return on investment for employers.

Frequently asked questions

How do women's and family health benefits reduce employer healthcare costs?

The greatest savings come from preventing higher-cost events before they occur. Earlier access to expert guidance can help reduce unnecessary treatment, improve maternity outcomes, lower emergency healthcare utilization, and support employees to stay healthy, productive, and engaged at work.

What is the ROI of fertility benefits for employers?

Comprehensive fertility benefits help employers improve healthcare outcomes while reducing unnecessary costs. Maven saves employers up to $5,000 per member, with organizations seeing up to 2x clinical savings through programs designed to improve reproductive health outcomes. When productivity and return-to-work outcomes are included, employers can achieve up to 4x total savings on their investment. Find out more about ROI for women’s and family health.

How does proactive maternity care reduce NICU costs?

Early identification of risk factors, ongoing clinical monitoring, and timely access to specialist resources can help reduce complications throughout pregnancy. Maven helps employers save an average of $9,600 per birth, with up to a 27% reduction in NICU admissions and up to a 15% reduction in C-section rates when members receive comprehensive Fertility and Maternity care.

How does parenting support benefit employers?

Supporting parents beyond parental leave reduces stress, improves confidence, and minimizes unnecessary urgent care or emergency visits. It also improves productivity (an increase of 60% for Maven members) and retention (by 74%) by helping employees balance work with the challenges of raising a family.

What are the business impacts of untreated menopause?

Untreated menopause symptoms can affect concentration, productivity, confidence, and employee retention. Providing access to expert menopause care helps employees manage symptoms effectively, remain engaged at work, and continue their careers with confidence.

How does Maven help employers improve workforce retention?

Maven helps employees feel more supported and engaged throughout every stage of the women's and family health journey. 96% of Maven Fertility & Family Building members say Maven makes them more loyal to their employer, 94% return to work after childbirth, 74% are more likely to stay in their role, and 27% of women using Maven's Menopause program say it helps them remain in the workforce longer.

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