Personalized pregnancy support for expecting employees
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within a given year, 3.8 million women in the United States will become pregnant.
You may have employees who will become first-time mothers or plan to expand upon their already-growing family. And, while an employee’s pregnancy announcement is always exciting, it can come with plenty of questions and added stress, too.
When an employee becomes pregnant — both the employee and the business have a lot of decisions to make within the following eight to nine months. Here are a few common pregnancy questions employees and employers may have.
Pregnancy-related questions your employee may ask:
- Am I considered high-risk for a pregnancy?
- As a first-time, working mother, where do I start? What support do I have?
- What does my health insurance provide for support during and after my pregnancy?
- How am I going to plan for time off and ensure all the work gets done while I’m gone?
Pregnancy-related questions you — their employer — may have:
- Who will take over this employee’s workload when they leave?
- How can I help this employee feel comfortable at work?
- What services and benefits are offered through our health insurance provider?
- What can I do to help this employee maintain their productivity during this time?
So, what are cost-effective ways to support employees in staying healthy and productive throughout and after pregnancy?
The answer is simple: Wellmark’s Pregnancy Support Program.
How the Wellmark Pregnancy Support Program supports your employees and your business
With Wellmark’s Pregnancy Support Program in your workplace, expecting employees — and their covered spouse or dependents — gain the confidence they need to navigate the complex health care system. From pregnancy through postpartum, the program provides eligible participants with personalized support — from following their provider’s prenatal care plan for high-risk pregnancies to answering questions about recovery and caring for their baby. Pregnant employees will also get help finding an in-network OB-GYN, adding their newborn to their medical plan and staying on track with well-child visits.
Consider these reasons to share the pregnancy support program with your workforce:
- Targeted risk-based support: Program participants are assessed and placed into low- and high-risk categories. Participants who are considered high-risk can receive more frequent and intensive support, helping to prevent complications and reduce long-term costs.
- Improved health outcomes through early engagement: Medical research shows a positive correlation between high levels of prenatal care and better birth outcomes. A pregnancy support program identifies and engages high-risk participants early (typically at 12–13 weeks) to guide medical and lifestyle choices.
- Reduced productivity losses: Premature births can lead to extended employee absences and emotional challenges, which may impact their ability to stay engaged at work — costing employers nearly $1,500 in lost productivity per case. A pregnancy support program helps reduce these risks by offering personalized care, education, and emotional support throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
- Enhanced employee experience and retention: The program offers high emotional value through personalized nurse support, 24/7 access and educational resources. This promotes a culture of care and can improve employee satisfaction and loyalty, especially when employees see that their families are supported.
How am I saving my employees — and company — money through this program?
Wellmark’s program delivers a no-cost solution designed specifically for pregnant employees, their spouse or dependents covered under your health plan — and it’s seamlessly included in their core benefits package. By simply logging in to myWellmark®, all pregnant mothers have access to trusted and helpful online resources. Plus, employees experiencing a high-risk pregnancy or needing additional support may choose to engage with a pregnancy support nurse for one-on-one support.
The value of Wellmark’s Pregnancy Support Program.
This program provides personalized support for employees and covered family members, in addition to the robust online resources via myWellmark®. With Wellmark's Pregnancy Support Program, your employees have 24/7 access to trusted online resources like WebMD® Pregnancy Assistance and Count the Kicks®.
One-on-one support is available when it’s needed.
Employees with high-risk pregnancies who choose to participate in the program will have access to a pregnancy support nurse throughout their pregnancy. These high-risk cases will be identified via the self-assessment tool on myWellmark and through claims data.
Additionally, employees experiencing a low-risk pregnancy can request a call from a pregnancy support nurse if they wish to participate.
Wellmark’s Pregnancy Support Program is included as a value-added benefit to all groups, regardless of funding arrangements. This means self-funded groups don’t have to purchase this Wellmark program for their employees and their covered family members.
Questions? Contact your authorized Wellmark representative or email us at blueatwork@wellmark.com.