“People didn’t feel safe disclosing it” said Kate Rosen, a HR Leader and Fractional People Consultant. She was referring to the silent aftermath of a miscarriage during her first few months in a new role. “I had to ask for a week off and just say it was for ‘medical reasons.’ I didn’t feel comfortable sharing the truth.”
Her experience is not unique. One in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage. One in six couples faces infertility. Nearly half of women will navigate perimenopause while still in the workforce. Yet few HR policies explicitly name these experiences.
When reproductive experiences are left out of policy manuals, leave policies, and benefit documents, employees feel excluded or worse, invisible.
Japneet Gill, a Senior HR Business Partner explains:
“Inclusive language creates visibility. Equity ensures access. You need both.”
Small changes in policy language can dramatically shift workplace culture and signal inclusion (or erasure).
Instead of… Maternity leave, use Parental leave
Mother of father, use Birthing parent or partner
Time off for surgery, use Bereavement leave for miscarriage
Employees may choose to disclose
Bereavement Leave: Updated to include miscarriage, stillbirth, and fertility loss
Reintegration Plans: Created for employees returning from leave after loss or treatment
Gender-Affirming Language: Inclusive of trans and non-binary reproductive experiences
Anonymous Surveys: Used to assess unmet needs and lived experiences
None of these required large budgets.
“We started by simply asking: who are we designing this policy for?”
— Japneet, Senior HR Partner at Introhive
Since reproductive health disclosures are sensitive, many managers don’t know how to respond.
“What can I say?”
“Do I need to report this to HR?”
“Is it legal for me to ask about this?”
Training managers on empathetic response protocols and supportive language is essential. Otherwise, even the best policies fall flat in practice.
Start with these quick wins:
Review and revise leave policies to name miscarriage, fertility treatments, and menopause
Audit benefit handbooks for binary, heteronormative, or exclusionary language
Circulate a plain-language guide to your team explaining available supports
Host a listening session or use an anonymous pulse survey to uncover unmet needs
Partner with organizations like Fertility Matters Canada or myStoria for webinars, Q&As, or template policies
“It’s not just about fertility—it’s about whether employees feel they can bring their whole selves to work.”
—Carolyn Dube, Executive Director at Fertility Matters Canada
Let’s stop treating reproductive health as taboo. Start by changing the words. Then, watch the culture follow.
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