Like many, Carrot members Scott and Elizabeth started their family-forming journey unworried, figuring that having a baby would happen when it happened. But after over a year of trying to get pregnant, they met with their doctor and learned that Elizabeth couldn’t get pregnant without treatment.
At first, they recalled feeling lost and out of place. Infertility affects one in six people worldwide but remains a taboo topic — especially in the workplace. In fact, 79% of people reported feeling uncomfortable discussing fertility openly at work. “A lot of people really don’t talk about how hard it is to get pregnant,” Elizabeth shared.
While most people may not openly discuss fertility in day-to-day conversations with colleagues, many companies like Scott’s recognize the prevalence of infertility and the positive impact fertility benefits have on employee health, well-being, and productivity. The couple found the support and answers they needed when they signed up for Carrot through Scott’s employer.
“Carrot became an integral part of our journey,” Scott reflected. “And having Carrot through my employer makes me feel like our voices are being heard and that leadership values the things that we value. Family and home life are an integral part of a great company and organization.”
Getting personalized guidance and financial support
As the self-appointed researcher among the two, Scott explored their options and set up a call with a Carrot Expert to learn more. He learned about the different treatments available, but due to their diagnosis, they ultimately needed to pursue in vitro fertilization (IVF).
“IVF was our last ditch effort to have a baby, and we needed help,” Elizabeth explained.
They accessed various Carrot resources to better understand each step in the IVF process. “Carrot helped link us to some of the providers we needed and made sure we were seeing the right people,” Scott said. “They answered all the questions we had about prescriptions, procedures, and medications — things that we really didn’t have any idea about before we started our journey.”
Once the couple chose a clinic and were ready to start treatment, Scott used his employer-provided funds through Carrot to help pay for it. In the U.S., the average cost of one cycle of IVF is $21,600. Because people often require multiple rounds of IVF, people can spend an average of $50,000 on treatments. For many, the financial challenges of paying for care are some of the biggest roadblocks to growing a family.
Elizabeth expressed her gratitude for the financial coverage. “If we didn’t have Carrot, our journey would’ve been a lot longer. We would not be able to afford a house in a couple of years, and we would’ve gone through all of our savings,” she said.
Having their son Bodhi was worth it, but remaining financially stable was an additional relief. “Having a good life for our son is what’s important, and if we didn’t have Carrot, it would’ve been tough,” Elizabeth said.
Planning for the future and feeling hopeful
When they started their fertility journey, Scott and Elizabeth felt lost. But with access to a network of high-quality providers, an empathetic team of fertility and family-forming experts, and trusted educational resources, Carrot supported and guided them every step of the way. “Carrot was accessible and dependable, and that’s what we needed on our journey,” Scott said.
Thinking about their plans for the future, Scott and Elizabeth are hopeful and excited — and they know that they won’t be alone on their journey. “Carrot allowed us to get to where we are today and has allowed us to have hope that we’ll be able to grow our family even more,” Scott said.
If you’re a Carrot member, sign in to your account to take the next step in your journey.
