Why we started Sprout Family
My journey in the world of family-building began with my own family's story.
How I got here -
My journey in the world of family-building began with my own family. In 1993 my parents welcomed my brother into our home, a beautiful yet emotionally charged journey that culminated with his adoption into our lives forever. As they often have said, adoption allows us to learn and see the world from different perspectives, learn to empathize, and be open to all that is new and different in life.
Their journey didn’t end here - after several years of infertility - my parents were lucky enough to have been connected early on with a fertility specialist who began an IVF process (in vitro fertilization) - which, at the time, was a relatively groundbreaking procedure. In 1994, my twin and I were born. We are here today because of these advancements in reproductive technologies.
My family's story has carried with me throughout my life. We’ve always embraced it, discussed it openly at the dinner table (age-appropriate), and cherish the strong bond we share.
I want to thank my family for allowing us to share publicly - and my hope is that this resonates and encourages others who are navigating similar journeys.
Why Sprout -
In school - we are taught so little about reproductive health. We’re led to believe that unprotected intercourse inevitably leads to pregnancy, oversimplifying a complex reality. Consequently, many are blindsided by their inability to conceive naturally. To further exacerbate this, we aren’t taught to advocate for ourselves or even acknowledge when we experience troubling symptoms like pelvic pain or abnormalities in our menstrual cycle. Yet, could earlier education equip us to mitigate some of the physical, mental, and financial tolls in the future?
Knowledge is power. I firmly believe that by providing comprehensive education earlier in life, we can empower individuals to be more proactive about their reproductive health. This includes understanding the realities of infertility (affecting 1 in 6 couples), options, and pathways, prompting earlier intervention, leading to improved outcomes and reduced healthcare costs overall.
Where we are now -
One year ago, Suze and I set out on a mission to address the significant gap in employer benefits: the lack of accessible family-building support. Despite millions of Canadians facing infertility and family-building challenges each year, comprehensive care does not exist.
Historically, fertility & family-building has been categorized as ‘niche’ and a concern primarily for women in their mid to late 30s. This could not be further from the reality. It has been underinvested in and overlooked for too long.
I think about my parents - they wouldn’t have predicted these challenges at such a young age. Starting or growing a family is not linear - it affects everyone and transcends gender. It’s a human issue, not a woman’s problem. With our population aging, individuals and couples having children later in life, same-sex couples relying on reproductive technologies and adoption to build their families, coupled with the increasing percentage of women in the workforce, it's imperative to innovate new approaches in supporting individuals in the workplace.
At Sprout, our core mission is to educate and empower. In a world where reproductive health education falls short, we see a massive opportunity to fundamentally change the way in which individuals access care. By providing individuals with comprehensive information and resources, we will empower them to navigate their family-building journeys confidently. From understanding reproductive health basics to accessing telehealth services and curated networks of care providers, Sprout has been built to support our members through every step of the family-building process.
Why employers care -
The consequences of inadequate family-building support extend beyond individuals—they impact workplaces and economies. For Canadian employers, the financial cost is significant, with over $30 billion lost annually due to productivity declines, attrition, and mental health expenses. The average fertility patient spends more than 160 hours navigating their care — this takes a big toll on mental health, productivity and engagement. Moreover, family-building challenges can lead individuals to take stressful leaves of absence or resign, resulting in further financial strain through attrition, disability claims, and mental health support costs.
Traction -
Since launching in January 2024, we’ve brought on our first cohort of early adopters, making strides in realizing our vision of accessible, comprehensive family-building care. The data from this first cohort is compelling. Although the medical burden of fertility treatments typically falls on women, we’re seeing an almost equal number of men and women using our service, and have been encouraged by men taking an active role in their family-building journey. There has also been a high level of demand for care from individuals in their early 20s who want to understand their reproductive health and take proactive measures to avoid fertility challenges later in life.
We're empowering individuals to take control of their family-building journeys while alleviating the burdens faced by employers. As we continue to grow, our dedication to reshaping the conversation around family-building care remains steadfast as our north star.
This is a great piece of writing, Jackie. In particular, I appreciated the personal context behind your company's mission. It struck me while reading how infrequently the topic of family planning and infertility is discussed.
My fiancé and I are about to begin our own family building journey, and what's stood out to me throughout the process so far is how little either of us know about fertility, and the resulting challenge of parsing through information to find insight that's useful and applicable to our situation. I've seen, both firsthand in our relationship and in the relationships of friends who are at a similar stage of the process, how much anxiety the uncertainty surrounding family planning can create. I wonder if this is partly because, at least in my own limited experience, it seems that most resources available are reactive as opposed to proactive. Similarly, in the absence of trusted resources, personal anecdotes--especially ones related to the challenging experience of people we know--can seem like an inevitability. Your point around the financial cost to companies of the present lack of family planning resources, including as a function of productivity declines and mental health challenges stemming from worry and anxiety, really hit home.
All that to say, I'm excited to continue following the journey you're on with this business and wishing you nothing but success. Similarly, a huge congratulations on your latest fundraising round; no doubt it's a vote of confidence in both you and your co-founder, and of the importance of the mission you're on.