Women experiencing infertility often face emotional strain and substantial financial pressures. Treatments such as IVF can cost thousands of dollars in the U.S., and many women require multiple rounds. New research (Poularikas et al., 2026) examines how anxiety resulting from infertility impacts women’s careers, and how access to insurance is crucial for mitigating these negative effects.
THE RESEARCH STUDY
In their first study, the researchers analyzed a large public dataset from Australia that followed women for over 20 years. They examined 2,728 women born between 1973 and 1988 who had experienced infertility. Among these women, undergoing treatment was associated with lower anxiety, but only for those who had access to additional private insurance coverage. Lower anxiety, in turn, was linked to higher occupational prestige (i.e., the social standing of a given occupation) and subsequently higher income.
Next, researchers recruited 192 online participants who were actively experiencing infertility. Women undergoing treatment reported greater financial strain, particularly when they had lower levels of insurance coverage. Greater financial strain was associated with higher anxiety. In turn, higher anxiety was linked to increased physical health symptoms, feeling more stuck in a job, and lower likelihood of looking for a new job.
PRACTICAL AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS
These findings suggest that organizations should consider offering infertility treatment coverage to support employee well-being. Providing coverage can also benefit the organization through retention and attraction, making the overall cost to organizations modest. Additionally, policies like flexible work arrangements can help make treatment more manageable. At the policy level, federally mandated coverage could reduce disparities in access and lessen the burden on employers.
Poularikas, N., Jeffers, A., Yoon, S., Koopman, J., & Dimotakis, N. (2026). The cost of coping with infertility: Extending theory on stressor appraisal. Journal of Applied Psychology. Advance online publication.
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