May 9, 2024
Virtual support for women’s health
Amid rising need, digital clinics offer women resources, from fertility to menopause
When Kara and her husband decided to start a family, they had lots of questions. What’s the most nutritious food to eat when pregnant? What are common first-trimester symptoms? What’s the best way to make a birth plan?
They found support through a digital clinic via a benefit offered by her employer.
“Maven Clinic was one of the best things that happened to me during my pregnancy and post-partum,” said the 33-year-old California resident. “As a first-time mom, I had so many concerns at different points along this journey, and they were with me every step of the way.”
Growing need
Kara is not alone. As women in the U.S. workforce increasingly look for support with health issues, from fertility to menopause, employers are taking notice. A 2023 survey by the workforce giant Mercer found nearly 40% of employers now offer reproductive health benefits ranging from support for high-risk pregnancies, to lactation, LGBTQ+ reproductive care, pregnancy loss, contraceptive care or menopause.
“Our employer customers have asked us for new ways to support their employees with issues related to women’s health, including fertility and pregnancy,” said Dr. Monica Ruehli, an ob-gyn who is clinical director of reproductive health and gender affirming services at the nonprofit Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the leading health plan in the state.
The health plan recently became the first in Massachusetts to partner with Maven Clinic and offer its maternity program to all fully insured customers with 51 or more employees, including unlimited visits with Maven practitioners at no charge.
So many women feel unheard and unseen in our health care system. At Maven, we create the space and time to make sure everyone feels heard and seen
Dr. Kathleen Green, an ob/gyn at Maven
Personal support
During the course of about a year, Maven clinicians met with her online to provide a broad range of support, Kara recalls.
Her Maven nutrition coach recommended what she should eat to pass along important nutrients to her baby and followed up with links to recipes.
When Kara and her husband got some concerning news at their 20-week anatomy scan, a Maven high-risk ob/gyn responded to their outreach so quickly, they spoke with her from their car while they were still in the hospital’s parking lot.
A Maven doula helped Kara develop a customized birth plan down to the type of music she wanted playing in the delivery room – she went with Fleetwood Mac – and explained everything that would happen so she could feel prepared and confident. And Kara spoke with a Maven lactation consultant nearly every day after she delivered a healthy baby boy in May.
Eleven months later, Kara and her family are doing well.
“Being a mom is the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done, and I couldn’t have asked for better support from Maven along the way,” she said, noting the advice she got from Maven clinicians supplemented her in-person care. “They provided me with trusted support in between my in-person visits, and I like that their recommendations are based on the latest research, instead of what I might find through Google.”
A critical complement
Ruehli agrees that services like Maven are an important complement to the traditional care patients receive in office.
“Maven provides patients with an additional level of support so they can make the most of their in-person visits,” she said. “Women have tons of questions during pregnancy, and they sometimes have them at 10 o’clock at night. Maven’s clinicians are available 24/7 to help.”
The benefit is one facet of a broad approach to women’s health at Blue Cross, Ruehli noted, including coverage for fertility treatment for members with documented infertility, and reimbursement for childbirth classes, breast pump savings and lactation counseling. The company also offers in-house reproductive health advocates to support members during their journey.
We want to be the best health plan for women, and we are developing a comprehensive solution for women’s health, from adolescence through maternity and post-partum and menopause.
Blue Cross' Dr. Monica Ruehli
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