Women’s health benefits checklist for employers

Why offering women’s health benefits is so valuable for employers

For many years, employer health benefits defined “women’s health” narrowly, focusing mainly on maternity and family-building. Today, that definition is expanding rapidly, and rightly so. Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, and their health needs span far beyond pregnancy.

From menstrual health and menopause to musculoskeletal pain, mental well-being, and pelvic health, these issues directly influence productivity, engagement, and retention. Yet too often, they go unaddressed in benefit designs. When women’s health is not supported, the consequences ripple across organizations. Pain, fatigue, and untreated symptoms lead to absenteeism, presenteeism, and lower participation in preventive care. The costs are significant, both human and financial. In contrast, companies that invest in comprehensive women’s health benefits consistently see higher retention, improved satisfaction, and measurable ROI.

This checklist offers a step-by-step framework for HR and benefits leaders to evaluate and build a modern women’s health benefits strategy. It combines the latest evidence, clinical insights, and digital innovations, showing how employers can deliver care that is equitable, effective, and empowering.

The growing impact of women’s health on workforce performance

The link between women’s health and business outcomes is now undeniable. Across the U.S., untreated or under-supported women’s health issues account for millions of lost workdays and billions in costs each year.

• Up to 600 million workdays are lost annually due to menstrual, menopausal, or chronic pain-related symptoms.¹
• One in three women experience pelvic floor disorders such as pain or leakage, affecting quality of life and job participation.²
• Nearly 80 percent of working women say their health needs are not adequately met by their benefits programs.³

These statistics highlight an urgent opportunity. Expanding women’s health benefits is not simply a gesture of care; it is a strategic investment in productivity, retention, and equity.

Your women’s health benefits checklist

Every leading women’s health program shares a set of foundational elements that work together to support care across life stages. Use this checklist to ensure your employee health benefits plan addresses both clinical and workforce considerations for women in your organization.

1. Ensure access to preventive and primary care

Preventative care is the bedrock of good health, yet many women still skip regular screenings due to cost, logistics, or competing responsibilities. Early detection of issues like cardiovascular disease or breast cancer can reduce long-term costs and save lives. A complete women’s health benefits offering should include:

• Annual wellness exams and gynecologic visits covered without financial barriers.
• Integrated virtual health care options so women can access care outside of work hours and family commitments.
• Regular screenings for breast, cervical, and heart health.
• Education that helps employees understand their health risks and recommended checkups.

Preventive care supports earlier diagnosis, better outcomes, and a culture that values proactive health management.

2. Expand fertility, maternity, and postpartum care

Women’s reproductive health needs extend well beyond pregnancy. Employers should build benefits that support the full journey, from fertility through postpartum recovery. Essential components include:

• Fertility and family-building benefits, such as IVF coverage, egg preservation, and adoption or surrogacy support.
• Maternity care navigation to help expectant mothers understand their options and access the right resources.
• Postpartum recovery and return-to-work support, including women’s health physical therapy, pelvic health rehabilitation, and lactation assistance.
• Flexible scheduling and specific return to work policies to ease transitions after childbirth.

This continuum of care helps working mothers feel supported during critical life changes, strengthening retention and morale.

3. Support menstrual, perimenopausal, and menopausal health

Menstrual and hormonal health directly affect comfort, sleep, focus, and confidence. Yet these topics remain among the least discussed in workplaces. Forward-thinking employers are breaking that silence by normalizing conversation and expanding care. Your benefits plan should include:

• Coverage for perimenopause and menopause management, including hormone therapy and symptom support.
• Access to digital resources and expert clinicians who specialize in women’s hormonal health.
• Education for both employees and managers to reduce stigma and create understanding.
• Flexible work accommodations for those experiencing severe symptoms such as hot flashes or insomnia.

These small adjustments make a major difference. When women feel comfortable managing health changes, they are more likely to stay engaged, confident, and productive.

4. Integrate pelvic health and digital therapy options

Pelvic floor disorders are common but often hidden. They affect nearly one in three women and lead to pain, bladder leakage, and other challenges that impact daily life.² Traditional pelvic therapy can be hard to access. The U.S. has only one specialist for every 10,000 women.⁴ Digital solutions like Bloom by Sword Health make high-quality care accessible, private, and convenient.

Bloom combines advanced technology with clinical expertise:

• The Bloom Pod, an FDA-listed device, measures pelvic floor muscle activity.
• The Sword app guides members through personalized sessions with real-time biofeedback.
• Each participant is paired with a Women's Health Specialist, each carrying a Doctorate in Physical Therapy.
• Sessions fit around real life. Half occur outside working hours, and one in five on weekends.⁵

Results are clinically validated with 61% percent of members feeling moderate-to-severe symptoms reporting significant improvement, and average satisfaction scores reaching an average of 9 out of 10.⁶ Employers also see measurable ROI with a massive average of 2.9x, through reduced medical spend and improved productivity.⁶

Including digital pelvic care within your benefits portfolio demonstrates both empathy and innovation. It helps close one of the most persistent gender care gaps and delivers results for employees and employers alike.

5. Prioritize mental health and emotional well-being

Women are twice as likely as men to experience anxiety or depression,⁷ often linked to caregiving demands, workplace pressure, or hormonal transitions. Untreated mental health issues contribute to absenteeism and reduced engagement.

Effective benefits programs address mental health at multiple levels:

• Access to licensed therapists with expertise in women’s health, trauma, or postpartum care.
• Integrated digital mental health platforms for convenience and confidentiality.
• Preventive screening for perinatal depression and stress.
• Life-stage coaching and peer support to normalize emotional wellness.

By framing mental health as a key part of women’s overall well-being, employers can foster healthier, more sustainable performance across the workforce.

6. Address musculoskeletal health and physical resilience

Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain affects more women than men, often due to hormonal influences, bone density changes, and caregiving strain. Back and joint pain are leading causes of medical claims and lost workdays. Comprehensive MSK benefits you should consider for both men and women include:

• Digital physical therapy options such as Sword Health’s Thrive and Move programs, which deliver guided at-home recovery and preventive coaching.
• Ergonomic assessments and workplace wellness education to reduce strain.
• Programs that teach safe movement and strength-building, especially for postmenopausal women at higher risk of bone loss.

Research shows that when women have access to physical support and education, outcomes improve significantly, including fewer injuries, lower costs, and higher work-ability outcomes.

7. Advance equity, inclusion, and access

Health equity is not a side initiative; it is a measurable standard of quality. Women from lower-income, rural, or minority backgrounds face higher barriers to care and worse outcomes. To build equitable benefits:

• Choose vendors that publish outcomes by demographics and geography.
• Offer multilingual materials and digital tools designed for different literacy levels.
• Partner with solutions that reach women in high-social-deprivation areas.
• Include gender-specific data reporting in benefits reviews.

Bloom provides a strong example of this model. Nearly half of its members live in socially disadvantaged areas, yet outcomes remain equivalent to peers elsewhere.⁸ Digital care helps remove geography and stigma as barriers, setting a benchmark for inclusive benefits design.⁹

8. Build accountability and measure ROI

A women’s health benefits strategy should be evidence-driven and transparent. HR and finance leaders need data that demonstrates value and guides reinvestment. Effective accountability includes:

• Outcome-based contracts linking vendor payment to measurable results.
• Dashboards tracking engagement, satisfaction, and cost savings.
• Cross-department collaboration between DEI, HR, and wellness teams.
• Annual program reviews to evaluate reach and progress.

Sword Health’s outcomes-based model shows what this can look like in practice. Employers only pay for results, with transparent reporting that connects clinical improvement to cost savings.⁶ This builds confidence in both program performance and vendor partnership.

Start offering dedicated women’s health benefits and keep top performers for longer

The next generation of women’s health benefits will go beyond isolated programs to form integrated ecosystems of care. Employers are shifting from reactive support to proactive prevention, helping women stay healthy, engaged, and empowered through every stage of life. Digital health solutions make this transformation scalable. With proven results, privacy, and flexibility, platforms like Bloom allow organizations to offer care that is both clinically rigorous and human-centered.

By following this checklist, benefits leaders can close long-standing gaps, improve workforce well-being, and align their strategy with a new era of gender health equity. Investing in women’s health is good for your people, and with programs like Bloom that can deliver a 2.9x ROI, it is good for business as well.

Sword Health partners with employers and health plans to create smarter, more accessible care pathways for women and families. From digital pelvic therapy to virtual MSK and mental health programs, Sword delivers clinically validated outcomes, measurable ROI, and meaningful equity improvements. Learn more about how Bloom and Sword Health can help you build a women’s health benefits plan that supports every stage of life.