Chelsea Football Club has a long history of pioneering initiatives, and the latest development comes off the pitch, focusing on the health and future families of its women’s team. The Blues have become the first club in the Women’s Super League to roll out a comprehensive fertility and maternity programme, giving players the freedom to plan a family on their own terms while still competing at the highest level.
The new policy builds on earlier innovations. In February 2020, head coach Emma Hayes introduced systematic menstrual‑cycle tracking to understand how hormonal fluctuations affect performance. The current partnership with Fertility Plus – a leading London fertility clinic – expands that scientific approach into a full‑scale support network that covers everything from egg freezing and IVF to routine smear tests, contraception, counselling and educational workshops.
Access to the fund is voluntary; players can tap into it whenever they need, with the club’s backing. Key elements of the maternity policy include personalised pregnancy and post‑natal recovery plans, financial assistance for a partner or nanny to travel with the squad for up to a year after a player returns, enhanced adoption and parental‑leave provisions, wage protection and subsidised childcare.
The aim is to remove the false dichotomy between a professional football career and motherhood, making both viable simultaneously. Chelsea’s head coach, Sonia Bompastor, explained to Sky Sports that the club’s responsibility is to equip athletes with knowledge and options. "Every player has a unique journey," she said.
"Our job is to provide the information and resources so they can decide what works best for them, without feeling forced to choose between sport and family." Former goalkeeper and current commercial manager of the women’s side, Carly Telford, was instrumental in forging the partnership with Fertility Plus. She told Sky Sports that she had witnessed the limited choices available to female athletes regarding fertility and wanted Chelsea to lead the conversation. "We needed a clinic that understood us first as athletes and then as women," Telford explained. "The service had to go beyond egg freezing – it had to cover hormones, endometriosis, cycle tracking, testing – a truly holistic approach to the female body." Telford emphasised that the programme is entirely player‑driven.
"The decisions are up to each individual," she said. "What matters is that the club offers a safety net and a platform for discussion, so players feel respected both as footballers and as people who will eventually make choices about families and health." Bompastor’s own experience adds weight to the initiative. She and her partner, Chelsea assistant coach Camille Abily, have four children. During her playing days, Bompastor felt constrained by the lack of options and had to retire earlier than she might have otherwise, fearing that motherhood would end her career.
"I didn’t have a real choice back then," she reflected. "Now I can see a pathway where a player can continue to excel while also becoming a mother, thanks to the knowledge and support the club now provides." Although no player has publicly announced plans to use the new resources yet – a decision that remains private – early feedback has been positive.
Telford, who still maintains close ties with the squad, said that conversations with several players revealed enthusiasm and relief. "The message we’ve received is ‘this is great, keep us informed’," she reported. "Confidentiality is paramount; medical information stays between the club doctors and Fertility Plus." Chelsea is not new to navigating pregnancy in sport.
Midfielder Melanie Leupolz gave birth in 2022 and returned to first‑team action, while Zecira Musovic took maternity leave in 2025 before re‑joining after her child’s arrival. More recently, former captain Millie Bright announced her pregnancy after retiring, highlighting the relevance of the programme for older players who may be considering family planning later in their careers. The dual focus on fertility and maternity care creates a seamless support system. Players can address reproductive health concerns, preserve fertility through egg freezing, or pursue assisted reproduction, all while knowing that the club will back them financially and logistically during pregnancy and after birth.
Bompastor summed up the philosophy: "Being a mother and a top‑level athlete are two full‑time jobs. Our job is to give players the tools and support they need to succeed in both." Beyond the immediate benefits for Chelsea’s squad, Telford hopes the initiative will spark a broader conversation across women's sport.
She believes the club’s high profile can influence other football organisations, governing bodies and commercial partners to adopt similar policies. "We have a platform that reaches millions," she said. "If we can change how clubs think about women’s health, we improve the sport and the lives of women everywhere." In her view, education is as important as medical support. Telford wishes she had known more about her own body during her playing career – from menstrual health to long‑term fertility prospects – and wants current players to have that knowledge at their fingertips.
"Understanding our bodies, our cycles, and the options available empowers us," she concluded. "Chelsea’s programme is a step toward that empowerment, and I hope it ignites a wider dialogue about women’s health in sport and beyond."