Chelsea Football Club has long prided itself on being a trail‑blazer, not only on the pitch but also in the way it supports its female athletes off it. In a landmark move for the Women's Super League, the Blues have introduced a comprehensive fertility and maternity framework that gives players the freedom to start families on their own terms while receiving the professional backing required to juggle elite sport and motherhood.
The initiative builds on Chelsea’s earlier innovations. In February 2020, head coach Emma Hayes launched a programme to monitor players' menstrual cycles and assess how hormonal fluctuations affect performance – a first for any club worldwide. The new policy represents the next logical step, expanding the club’s commitment to women’s health beyond performance metrics to encompass long‑term reproductive wellbeing.
Chelsea has partnered with Fertility Plus, one of London’s most reputable fertility clinics, to create a dedicated fund that all squad members can access. The fund covers a wide range of services, including egg freezing, in‑vitro fertilisation (IVF), smear tests, contraception, and specialised counselling. Workshops and educational sessions are also part of the package, ensuring that players receive accurate, up‑to‑date information to make informed decisions about their bodies. Participation is entirely voluntary; players can draw on the resources in the manner that best suits their individual circumstances, with the club’s support staff on hand to guide them.
The club’s Player Maternity Policy is equally extensive. It provides personalised medical and post‑natal recovery plans, financial assistance for a partner or nanny to travel to away fixtures for up to a year after a player returns to competition, and enhanced adoption and parental‑leave provisions. In addition, the policy offers wage protection and subsidised childcare, acknowledging that returning to top‑level football after childbirth presents unique logistical and physical challenges. Sonia Bompastor, Chelsea’s head coach, explained to Sky Sports that the club’s aim is to give players “the knowledge and options they need to decide what’s right for them.” She stressed that every athlete’s journey is different and that the new framework removes the false dichotomy between a professional career and motherhood.
"You no longer have to choose between being a footballer and being a mum – both are now possible," Bompastor said. Former goalkeeper and current commercial manager Carly Telford has been instrumental in shaping the partnership with Fertility Plus. In her interview with Sky Sports she described how she wanted a provider that understood athletes as both sportspersons and women, offering services that go beyond simple egg‑freezing. "We needed a clinic that could address hormones, endometriosis, cycle tracking, comprehensive testing – essentially an all‑encompassing approach to female health," she explained.
Telford added that the ultimate decision rests with each player, but having those options available signals a cultural shift within the club: they are treated as whole people, not merely as footballing assets. Bompastor’s personal experience underscores the importance of the new measures.
She and her partner, Chelsea assistant coach Camille Abily, have four children. During her own playing days, limited fertility options forced her to retire earlier than she might have otherwise.
"I didn’t have a real choice back then. I wanted a successful playing career, but I also wanted a family, and the lack of support made it feel like I had to sacrifice one for the other," she recalled. "Now, with the knowledge and resources Chelsea provides, players can plan motherhood without compromising their ambitions." To date, no Chelsea player has publicly announced plans to use the new services, respecting the privacy of individual decisions. Nevertheless, Telford reports that early feedback from the squad has been overwhelmingly positive.
Players appreciate the confidentiality of the medical information shared between Fertility Plus and the club’s doctors, and many have expressed relief that such support exists. Chelsea is not entirely new to pregnancy within its ranks.
Midfielder Melanie Leupolz gave birth in 2022 and returned to first‑team action, while Zecira Musovic stepped away in June 2025 for a pregnancy that concluded later that year. More recently, former captain Millie Bright announced her pregnancy after retiring, highlighting how fertility concerns can affect players at different stages of their careers. The dual programmes – fertility support and maternity care – are designed to work in tandem.
By offering both preventative health services and post‑natal assistance, Chelsea ensures that players have a continuum of care, from the moment they consider family planning to the period after they become parents. Bompastor emphasized that motherhood is a skill learned on the job: "You only truly understand what it means to be a mum when you have your first child.
Providing platforms where experienced players can share their stories is invaluable." Beyond the immediate benefits to the squad, Telford hopes the club’s high profile will spark a broader conversation about women’s health in sport. She wants other clubs, governing bodies and businesses to rethink how they support female athletes.
"We have a massive platform. If we can influence other organisations to adopt similar policies, we’ll be advancing the health and rights of women far beyond football," she said. In summary, Chelsea’s pioneering fertility and maternity policies represent a significant step forward for women’s sport. By combining cutting‑edge medical support, financial safeguards, and a culture that values players as whole individuals, the club is setting a new benchmark for how professional teams can empower female athletes to pursue both career excellence and personal fulfillment.
The initiative not only benefits current squad members but also paves the way for future generations of women who will no longer have to choose between the beautiful game and motherhood.