Women’s health: Supporting women at every stage
Why employers are rethinking women’s health beyond maternity benefits — and what that means for cost, retention, and workforce productivity.
- Women drive health utilization and spend. Women influence about 80% of household health care decisions1 and, compared to men, account for higher rates of care use3 — making women’s health a cost and strategy consideration for employers
- The women’s health gap is a business issue. Closing gaps in access and support across life stages — from adolescence through menopause — represents a $1 trillion global GDP opportunity, tied to workforce productivity and retention.4
- Employers that align benefits with women’s changing needs may better manage utilization while improving engagement, retention and workforce performance2 — especially as women stay in the workforce longer17
Women make an estimated 80% of household health care decisions, influencing the majority of healthcare spending, and also serve as the primary caregiver in their familes.1 While caring for others, they often end up neglecting their own health.
Employers are taking notice. In fact, 52% of surveyed employers said they offered benefits or resources to support women’s health, which could include support for everything from adolescence and family planning to maternal health and menopause.2
It makes sense. Women are staying in the workforce longer than they used to and require benefits that support their changing health needs. They also tend to utilize the health system more for conditions that disproportionately impact them.
For example, compared to men, women were:3
- 3x more likely to have had a thyroid disorder
- 40% more likely to have received a behavioral health diagnosis
- 53% more likely to have received a cancer diagnosis
And as a result, women accounted for:3
- 67% more inpatient hospital admissions
- 32% more urgent care and ER visits
- 22% more outpatient surgeries
Companies that offer more robust women’s health benefits may be able to better manage the costs associated with this utilization, as well as experience higher productivity, less absenteeism, better employee retention and an overall healthier workforce. In fact, improving access to care for women around the world was estimated to have represented a $1T global GDP opportunity.4
Opportunities to support women and their families were shown to vary by employer location and employee residence. According to America’s Health Rankings 2025 Health of Women and Children Report, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and West Virginia experienced greater disparities and challenges compared to other states.5
Helping women find quality health care through every stage of life
There’s no one-size-fits-all health journey for women, and their health needs change significantly as they age. That’s why it’s critical for employees to have access to benefits and support that address their evolving health needs.
“It’s important for employers to better understand the full health care journey of their women employees,” explains Stephanie Fehr, chief people officer for UnitedHealthcare. “Because, once they understand what support is needed at every step of that journey, they will be better equipped to design a health benefits strategy that supports those employees and helps guide them on a path to better health.”
Adolescence
Supporting adolescent girls and young women means ensuring that their parents and caregivers have access to health benefits and resources for their children and dependents. As children transition into adolescence, their health needs evolve. Puberty brings about physical, hormonal and emotional changes — and those transitions may require extra support.
For instance, teen girls are faring worse than boys when it comes to mental health.6 According to research, adolescent girls had a significantly higher prevalence of depression, eating disorders, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts compared to boys.6 Unaddressed mental health issues can also lead to risky substance use behaviors, which may have ripple effects for their health later on.7
“Healthy women and children are the foundation of strong communities everywhere,” explains Dr. Lisa Saul, national medical director and chief medical officer of women's health for UnitedHealthcare. “Ensuring they have access to health benefits has a major impact on their health and well-being but also on future generations.”
To effectively support employees’ dependents, it’s critical that employers offer resources for:
- Coordinating care for children and famlies
- Birth control
- Sexual health management, including sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment
- Education on key health topics
- Finding and pricing and care
- Behavioral health and substance use
- Preventive care
It’s also important that parents and caregivers have the ability to care for their dependent children when health needs arise with flexible work arrangements or robust leave policies.
Adulthood
As adolescents transition into adulthood and join the workforce, they often begin receiving benefits through their own employers rather than through their parents’ employers. In fact, analysis showed that the majority of a woman’s health issues occured during her working years, contributing to productivity loss and economic impact.8. As they entered the workforce, many of the same health concerns persisted or new ones began to develop over time, with certain health issues and chronic conditions being more common among women compared to men.
According to UnitedHealthcare data, compared to men, women had a:3
- 40% higher prevalence of mental disorders
- 77% higher prevalence of depression
- 55% higher prevalence of anxiety
- 53% higher prevalence of cancer
- 25% higher prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions
- 43% higher prevalence of obesity
- 28% higher prevalence of nervous system disorders
- 49% higher prevalence of digestive disorders
- 22% higher prevalence of respiratory disorders
Certain network strategies and encouraging the use of primary care providers (PCPs) can be helpful in assessing and monitoring a woman’s risk for complex and chronic conditions, as well as ongoing condition management.
“Members who have a primary care physician tend to have a lower total cost of care,” says Dr. Gerald Hautman, chief medical officer of National Accounts for UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual. “And our research demonstrates that those members tend to have a better experience because they’re able to navigate our very complex health care system a little bit easier.”
Some women, particularly in younger generations, may seek the convenience of virtual appointments, virtual health clinics and other digital solutions to address health issues, whether they arise at home or work. This is one way employers can help their employees get the care they need while managing their busy lives, which is critical given that many women say work-life balance is important. In fact, 37% of women who voluntarily left their jobs cited lack of schedule flexibility as the reason.9
Family planning
The family planning journey looks different for every person and includes many variables, including choosing to have children or choosing not to. That’s why it’s important for employers to include options for either path — such as contraceptives, fertility and maternity support.
While some may have no difficulties starting their family, others face challenges.
1 and 5 married women reported having difficulty getting pregnant after a year of trying10
15—20% of pregnancies ended in miscarriage11
75% of people reported experiencing financial strain during their fertility journey and nearly half felt unprepared for the cost of fertility tests and treatments12
1 in 7
mothers experienced postpartum depression13
Fertility support solutions built to connect employees to specialists for early and advanced-stage treatments — with the goal of quality outcomes and faster time to pregnancy and delivery — can help make this process less daunting physically, emotionally and financially.
Many women who become pregnant often have specific and diverse labor and delivery preferences as part of their birth plans. Employers can support their employees by offering coverage for a variety of preferences. For instance, doulas have been growing in popularity among soon-to-be moms as a resource and advocate leading up to birth, and throughout delivery and recovery,12 which is why UnitedHealthcare is expanding its doula coverage to all eligible commercial members by 2027.
Employers may also want to review the breadth of provider and site of care options within a network, along with coverage details and estimated out-of-pocket costs for prenatal care services — such as regular office visits, ultrasounds, vaccinations and testing — as well as common labor and delivery interventions, including epidurals and C-sections.
After birth, other needs may arise. For example, 74% of survey respondents reported experiencing mental or emotional challenges before, during or after their pregnancy or fertility journeys.13 Access to both in-person and digital or virtual behavioral health care options can be critical during these times.
Additionally, offering time off or leave options to care for new family members has become increasingly important to employees. This can include extended parental leave, full pay for the duration of leave or alternative options to help subsidize employee income, such as short-term disability for maternity leave. Employers that step up their policies tend to have a competitive advantage in the eyes of employees, especially among those who plan to expand their families.
When an employee’s parental leave ends and they return to work, the challenges shift as they begin juggling both their professional and family responsibilities.
“It’s critical for employers to not only offer employees flexibility and understanding, but also a benefits package that has their family’s interest in mind and supports them along their maternal health care journey,” explains Dr. Randall.
And with maternity-related costs climbing — partly driven by delayed family planning and increased maternal-age related complications — addressing this life stage has become a critical component of employers' cost strategies.14
Perimenopause through post-menopause
As women live and stay in the workforce longer, their needs evolve. Beyond becoming at higher risk for certain chronic conditions, many women begin to experience menopause symptoms, typically in their 40s.
Perimenopause, which precedes menopause by 8–10 years, is the phase where symptoms may first appear. These symptoms can affect daily life and last for years before dissipating. In fact, 67% of women between the ages of 40-60 reported difficulties at work while managing menopause symptoms, including lack of concentration, increased stress and an inability to physically carry out work tasks.15
The average age at which a woman reaches menopause is 52.16 It was estimated that an average of 86% of women ages 50–54 and 79% of women ages 55–60 are still working.17 so it’s important that they feel supported by their employers and that their health and well-being needs are met through their benefits.
Access to menopause support is a key factor in employee retention. 18 As a result, employers might want to think about covering treatments like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and medications that alleviate hot flashes and prevent osteoporosis. Additionally, offering educational resources and access to health and wellness programs can significantly enhance this support.
While menopause technically ends when a woman has not had a menstrual cycle in 12 months, their need for support doesn’t disappear. Some women may continue to experience mild symptoms throughout the rest of their life post-menopause. Additionally, low estrogen levels can also increase risk for osteoporosis, heart disease and other conditions that women may already be predisposed to.
In other words, it’s critical to support women with quality benefits that extend beyond the boundaries of the reproductive years.
“It’s important for employers to better understand the full health care journey of their women employees. Because, once they understand what support is needed at every step of that journey, they will be better equipped to design a health benefits strategy that supports those employees and helps guide them on a path to better health.”
“Supporting women’s health is critical because women make up a large portion of today’s workforce. Working women wear multiple hats, such as partner, parent, primary caregiver, financial contributor — and are also often the main decisionmaker for their family.
This is why it’s so important for them to get the support they need, when they need it. Because if they aren’t being cared for, there’s likely to be a domino effect that can impact the rest of their family and even their colleagues. We need to be able to put the oxygen mask on ourselves before we’re able to help others around us.”
-Dr. Lisa Saul, National Medical Director & Chief Medical Officer, Women’s Health, UnitedHealthcare
Share
