Facing the Unexpected: Why Baby Loss and Fertility Challenges Deserve Space at Work

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For many, the path to parenthood is not straightforward. It’s often marked by hurdles, heartbreak, and unexpected loss. Yet these deeply personal experiences, from fertility struggles to miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal loss, are often hidden from view, especially in the workplace.

As we mark Baby Loss Awareness Week (9–15 October) and look ahead to Fertility Awareness Week (3–7 November), it’s an important moment to pause, reflect, and ask ourselves:
How do we support our colleagues through some of life’s most painful, unspoken challenges?

While these topics might be difficult to talk about, they are far from rare. Around 1 in 6 people worldwide experience infertility, and 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage. Stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, failed IVF cycles, and baby loss beyond the first trimester, these are all realities many quietly carry.

In every workplace, behind the scenes, these experiences are likely playing out, shaping how people show up, cope, and carry on.

The invisible load

The silence that surrounds fertility and baby loss is rarely because the impact isn’t felt. More often, it’s because those affected don’t know how to talk about it, or don’t feel safe enough to try.

Employees navigating these challenges may be:

• Grieving privately while maintaining a professional front
• Dealing with medical procedures, hormones, and appointments in silence
• Struggling with concentration, energy or focus
• Anxious about taking time off or being seen as “less committed”
• Isolated from colleagues who may not understand
• Avoiding baby showers, parenting conversations, or certain meetings altogether

Some may carry a quiet guilt. Others may feel angry, helpless, or simply exhausted. These emotional weights can linger for weeks, months, or even years.

And for those going through this without a partner, whether single, or solo by choice – the challenges can feel even heavier. The emotional load, the practical logistics, the financial strain, the absence of a shared support system, it’s a lot to carry alone.

Why the workplace matters

While it may feel like a private matter, fertility and baby loss absolutely belong in conversations about workplace wellbeing. When employers acknowledge these experiences with empathy and appropriate support, it sends a powerful message: you don’t have to leave parts of yourself at the door to be respected and valued here.

When workplaces avoid the topic entirely, the result is often the opposite: silence, stigma, and strain. Employees may feel unsupported and disconnected. Leaders may feel uncertain about what’s appropriate to say or do. And teams may miss the opportunity to show real compassion when it’s needed most.

The impact isn’t just personal, it can also affect engagement, morale, performance, and retention. Not because people are “less capable” but because they’re navigating something deeply human without adequate space or support.

Holding space with compassion

If you’re in a position to shape workplace culture, this is your opportunity to take meaningful action.

Sometimes, just knowing there is a safe space to talk can lift some of the weight.

We offer 1:1 coaching specifically for those facing the unexpected – whether that’s miscarriage, infertility, failed IVF, stillbirth, or neonatal loss.

These confidential sessions create space to:

• Process difficult emotions without judgment
• Explore how to balance personal healing with professional life
• Gain clarity on how to ask for support, or communicate with colleagues
• Rebuild confidence after a deeply destabilising experience
• Navigate return-to-work challenges after time off
• Feel seen, heard, and validated

The support is gentle, flexible, and fully person-led. There’s no one-size-fits-all path, because there’s no one way to grieve or recover.

As Greg McCaw, Chief People Officer at BKL, shared in our CPO Talk: Family-Friendly Cultures podcast, acknowledging the emotional weight of loss is vital in creating a culture where people feel genuinely supported. These experiences are often hidden, but their impact is very real — and leaders have a role to play in opening up safe, compassionate conversations.

Here are some ways to start:

• Acknowledge the reality of baby loss and fertility struggles in internal comms
• Coach managers to respond sensitively when someone discloses loss
• Create space for confidential support (such as coaching or counselling)
• Review your policies to ensure they include time off for miscarriage, IVF, or fertility treatment
• Avoid assumptions about family status, parenting journeys, or “readiness”

It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it’s okay not to have all the right words. What matters most is creating a culture of compassion, one that recognises the full lives people are living behind their job titles.

If you or someone in your team would benefit from this support, get in touch here.

Let’s make our workplaces safer, kinder, and more human, one conversation at a time.