Starting a family, caring for children, and navigating the changes that come with midlife are all challenges that affect employees. These experiences can feel overwhelming and may even push valuable workers out of the workforce. But comprehensive family health benefits can make a meaningful difference, improving physical and mental well-being while helping to reduce health costs and strengthen employee retention. 

This was the subject of a From Day One webinar about “The Business Case for Comprehensive Family Health Benefits in 2026,” Isha Vij, SVP of growth at Maven Clinic. Vij spoke with Sarah Begley, VP of member content at Atria, about what comprehensive health benefits are and how they benefit both employees and employers.

Supporting Employees Through All Stages

Maven Clinic offers a more comprehensive approach to family health benefits, taking a broader view of care that can be especially useful for employees planning to start families. Its emphasis on counseling and coaching helps employees feel more supported and may reduce reliance on more costly medical interventions, says Vij. 

The value of coaching is apparent at the very beginning of building a family. “We joke here at Maven, everybody knows how not to get pregnant, right? It’s drilled into your brain, and you know exactly how not to do it,”  Vij said. “But the reality is when you want to start a family and you want to conceive, most people don’t even know where to start.”

That lack of knowledge can lead to frustration and pressure to pursue medical interventions, which can be physically and mentally taxing as well as expensive. Early guidance can make a meaningful difference. 

From there, a comprehensive family health benefit can provide guidance throughout pregnancy, helping identify potential issues during gestation and improving the likelihood of a complication-free delivery. Maven reports that the mothers it serves are 15% less likely to require cesarean sections, and their babies are 27% less likely to need neonatal intensive care, says Vij. 

Family Care Goes Beyond Pregnancy

The challenges of parenting don’t end with delivery, and support shouldn’t either. Vij, originally from southern Asia, described working with a pediatric nutrition specialist to help introduce her infant to Indian food.

“She was in my pantry. She was in my fridge. She was looking through everything with me and telling me this is appropriate for an eight month old, these spices that you use in your cooking are totally appropriate, these other ones, you need to wait until she’s a year old,” Vij said. 

Maven’s program also includes sleep coaches for those restless nights, along with mental health support. This can be especially valuable for men, who may also struggle with the changes that come with parenthood and want to better support their partners, says Vij. 

The Advantages of Comprehensive Health

The value of this holistic approach to family health for workers should be clear, but the advantages flow to employers as well. From fertility coaching to pregnancy support, making it easier for would-be parents to conceive and deliver healthy children means less time spent at doctors’ offices and hospitals, and fewer medical complications. The savings in health care costs are substantial; Maven reports saving an average of $9,600 per pregnancy.

This wrap-around coverage is extremely useful for retaining talent too. Recruiting and training new employees is costly and disruptive. Many workers will become parents during their careers, and they value employers who support them. Anything that boosts morale and stabilizes the workforce benefits managers. Vij says that 94% of Maven’s beneficiaries return to the workplace after giving birth, a rate higher than the national average. “Women are powerhouses,” Vij said. “You want them in the workforce, and you want them to be productive and contributing.”

Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Maven Clinic, for sponsoring this webinar. 

Paul Kersey is a former attorney and freelance writer who has covered events for Bloomberg News and other outlets.  Paul is based in Chicago, IL.

(Photo by Goodboy Picture Company/iStock)