Fertility Support SG (FSS), a social advocacy group, released on Friday (Jul 25) the country’s first set of workplace guidelines, the Workplace Fertility Support Guide, aimed at supporting employees undergoing fertility treatments such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).
The release of the 39-page guidebook coincides with World IVF Day, which celebrates advancements in fertility medicine and the significance of IVF for couples who hope to start a family. It is one of several initiatives by FSS aimed at raising understanding about infertility in Singapore.
The guidebook was developed as FSS recognised a significant lack of awareness around how fertility treatments can affect both employees and the workplace environment.
It cited issues such as the fear of stigma and judgment, unintended career consequences, and a lack of workplace recognition of fertility as a well-being issue. All these contribute to why many women choose to keep their fertility journeys a secret from their colleagues.
Christine Ong, vice president of FSS, who went through seven embryo transfers and three miscarriages, described the experience as “leading a double life”.
“[It’s] one where I was a competent, reliable professional going about my job, and another where I was quietly grieving, hoping, and sometimes falling apart,” the mother of three said.
FSS came about in 2020, started by a small group of women who wanted to offer emotional and social support to other women struggling with infertility.
Rafidah Jalil, one of the advocacy group’s early members, and now a mum of three, said: “When I was trying to conceive, the odds felt stacked against me.
“I was managing so many things at work, but I was also trying not to let my body and mind fall apart. The physical struggle was so tough, and the emotional weight was even heavier,” added the 39-year-old, who was a senior manager at a global bank when she went through IVF twice, at ages 31 and 34.
“Fertility challenges don’t pause for office hours,” Ong said. “They require time, flexibility, and emotional bandwidth that can be hard to reconcile with workplace expectations, and that’s where the guidelines come in.”
The guidebook includes detailed information on what trying to conceive (TTC) entails, sample conversation starters for employees who want to raise their infertility struggles with their managers, as well as tips for supervisors who want to support staff but don’t know where to begin.
Based on the studies by FSS, many women had to make sacrifices at work and even considered leaving due to the lack of workplace support while going through fertility treatments. (Photo: Pranithan Chorruangsak)
It also outlines recommendations for managers and colleagues, such as being flexible with work arrangements, ways to express verbal support, and understanding what a fertility journey can look like for both male and female employees.
“This can help shed light on what it’s like for employees going through treatments, without requiring them to explain their situation while already coping with the emotional and physical stress of trying to conceive,” said 39-year-old Rosalyn Wee, a stay-at-home mum of one who was a special needs educator when she was undergoing IVF.
To inform its recommendations, FSS conducted two studies: First, a poll of over 400 female and 100 male members in the FSS community; and second, a nationwide study in partnership with market research firm Milieu Insight, which surveyed 242 female and 158 male Singaporeans on fertility-related workplace experiences.
In the national study, only 27 per cent of respondents felt their companies offered benefits to accommodate fertility treatment, such as flexible work or paid leave.
Meanwhile, 77 per cent said they had to make career sacrifices while undergoing treatment or accompanying their spouses to appointments. From the FSS community poll, 13 per cent reported leaving their jobs entirely to prioritise their TTC journey.
The studies also revealed certain workplace arrangements respondents felt would benefit employees in their fertility journey. For example, more than half of the respondents in the national study said they would appreciate more flexible working hours to accommodate appointments.
While the guidelines are not enforceable and are not mandatory for companies to follow, they are meant to spark broader conversations, said Simran Toor, a 46-year-old lawyer and FSS board member, who underwent IVF at age 44 and helped develop the guidelines.
Singapore’s total fertility rate fell to a record low of 0.97 in 2024. Despite this, demand for fertility treatment is rising, driven by later-in-life marriages and changing family planning choices, the FSS studies noted.
As fertility journeys involve both the husband and wife, the guide also includes recommendations for companies to support husbands. (Photo: iStock/Chinnapong)
The World Health Organization also found that in 2023, infertility affects one in six adults globally, up from one in eight five years prior.
“This makes it all the more important to ensure women going through treatment don’t have to choose between their jobs and the chance to start a family,” Toor said.
“Some companies may think these guidelines are just a mere wellness benefit, but it is not – businesses stand to benefit financially and economically from caring for staff navigating fertility treatments.”
She highlighted that companies should care because when employees feel supported, it boosts morale, talent attraction, and retention. The guidebook noted how fertility support signals long-term investment in employees’ lives beyond work, enhances corporate reputation, and reflects openness to evolving social norms.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all, and that’s why these are guidelines – every workplace needs to recognise the needs of its workforce and tailor their policies, even on a micro level,” Toor said.
“This is an entry point to a national conversation, one that empowers women to initiate discussions with their supervisors and normalises support for fertility in the workplace.
“It’s very crucial to ensure women – and men – going through treatment don’t have to choose between their jobs and the chance to start a family.”
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
Continue reading...
The release of the 39-page guidebook coincides with World IVF Day, which celebrates advancements in fertility medicine and the significance of IVF for couples who hope to start a family. It is one of several initiatives by FSS aimed at raising understanding about infertility in Singapore.
The guidebook was developed as FSS recognised a significant lack of awareness around how fertility treatments can affect both employees and the workplace environment.
It cited issues such as the fear of stigma and judgment, unintended career consequences, and a lack of workplace recognition of fertility as a well-being issue. All these contribute to why many women choose to keep their fertility journeys a secret from their colleagues.
Christine Ong, vice president of FSS, who went through seven embryo transfers and three miscarriages, described the experience as “leading a double life”.
“[It’s] one where I was a competent, reliable professional going about my job, and another where I was quietly grieving, hoping, and sometimes falling apart,” the mother of three said.
FSS came about in 2020, started by a small group of women who wanted to offer emotional and social support to other women struggling with infertility.
Rafidah Jalil, one of the advocacy group’s early members, and now a mum of three, said: “When I was trying to conceive, the odds felt stacked against me.
“I was managing so many things at work, but I was also trying not to let my body and mind fall apart. The physical struggle was so tough, and the emotional weight was even heavier,” added the 39-year-old, who was a senior manager at a global bank when she went through IVF twice, at ages 31 and 34.
“Fertility challenges don’t pause for office hours,” Ong said. “They require time, flexibility, and emotional bandwidth that can be hard to reconcile with workplace expectations, and that’s where the guidelines come in.”
A PUSH FOR MORE AWARENESS AND EMPATHY
The guidebook includes detailed information on what trying to conceive (TTC) entails, sample conversation starters for employees who want to raise their infertility struggles with their managers, as well as tips for supervisors who want to support staff but don’t know where to begin.
Based on the studies by FSS, many women had to make sacrifices at work and even considered leaving due to the lack of workplace support while going through fertility treatments. (Photo: Pranithan Chorruangsak)
It also outlines recommendations for managers and colleagues, such as being flexible with work arrangements, ways to express verbal support, and understanding what a fertility journey can look like for both male and female employees.
“This can help shed light on what it’s like for employees going through treatments, without requiring them to explain their situation while already coping with the emotional and physical stress of trying to conceive,” said 39-year-old Rosalyn Wee, a stay-at-home mum of one who was a special needs educator when she was undergoing IVF.
To inform its recommendations, FSS conducted two studies: First, a poll of over 400 female and 100 male members in the FSS community; and second, a nationwide study in partnership with market research firm Milieu Insight, which surveyed 242 female and 158 male Singaporeans on fertility-related workplace experiences.
In the national study, only 27 per cent of respondents felt their companies offered benefits to accommodate fertility treatment, such as flexible work or paid leave.
Meanwhile, 77 per cent said they had to make career sacrifices while undergoing treatment or accompanying their spouses to appointments. From the FSS community poll, 13 per cent reported leaving their jobs entirely to prioritise their TTC journey.
The studies also revealed certain workplace arrangements respondents felt would benefit employees in their fertility journey. For example, more than half of the respondents in the national study said they would appreciate more flexible working hours to accommodate appointments.
While the guidelines are not enforceable and are not mandatory for companies to follow, they are meant to spark broader conversations, said Simran Toor, a 46-year-old lawyer and FSS board member, who underwent IVF at age 44 and helped develop the guidelines.
SUPPORT FOR COUPLES LOOKING TO CONCEIVE
Singapore’s total fertility rate fell to a record low of 0.97 in 2024. Despite this, demand for fertility treatment is rising, driven by later-in-life marriages and changing family planning choices, the FSS studies noted.
As fertility journeys involve both the husband and wife, the guide also includes recommendations for companies to support husbands. (Photo: iStock/Chinnapong)
The World Health Organization also found that in 2023, infertility affects one in six adults globally, up from one in eight five years prior.
“This makes it all the more important to ensure women going through treatment don’t have to choose between their jobs and the chance to start a family,” Toor said.
“Some companies may think these guidelines are just a mere wellness benefit, but it is not – businesses stand to benefit financially and economically from caring for staff navigating fertility treatments.”
She highlighted that companies should care because when employees feel supported, it boosts morale, talent attraction, and retention. The guidebook noted how fertility support signals long-term investment in employees’ lives beyond work, enhances corporate reputation, and reflects openness to evolving social norms.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all, and that’s why these are guidelines – every workplace needs to recognise the needs of its workforce and tailor their policies, even on a micro level,” Toor said.
“This is an entry point to a national conversation, one that empowers women to initiate discussions with their supervisors and normalises support for fertility in the workplace.
“It’s very crucial to ensure women – and men – going through treatment don’t have to choose between their jobs and the chance to start a family.”
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
Continue reading...