Many women worry about potentially undergoing IVF treatments because they’re concerned about:

a.  The time necessary for them to be out of work for the procedures.

b.  The possibility that they’ll have to take more sick days than they have if they end up feeling uncomfortable as a result.

c.  The thought of telling their co-workers what they’re having done.

But it’s essential to know that all female employees have a right to privacy in this area.  And they also need to know the facts:

TIME:

Most women who undergo IVF treatments are not likely to be out of work for long, long amounts of time.  In fact, some return after taking a day or two.  Unless there are complications, it shouldn’t be a problem.

SICK LEAVE:

If you can stockpile your sick leave before undergoing IVF treatments, that’s always a good thing.  If not, you may have to just use what you have or use some of your vacation/personal time. 

PRIVACY:

This is an admittedly gray area in that depending upon your position, you may have to confide in someone at your workplace.  But that doesn’t mean your coworkers need to know what’s occurring.  If you talk to an HR or personnel manager, your privacy should be respected.

We’d love to hear from you — have you ever had to deal with deciding whether or not to tell your employer about IVF treatments?  What did you decide to do?