Chelsea Football Club has a long history of breaking new ground, and this time the innovation comes off the pitch, where the club is reshaping the conversation around female athletes' health and family planning. In a landmark move, the Blues have become the first team in the Women's Super League to roll out a comprehensive fertility and maternity framework that gives players the freedom to build a family on their own terms while receiving the support needed to juggle elite sport and motherhood. The initiative builds on earlier steps taken by the club. In February 2020, manager Emma Hayes introduced systematic tracking of menstrual cycles to understand how hormonal fluctuations affect performance.
That data‑driven approach laid the foundation for a more holistic view of women’s health, and the latest policy is the next logical progression. Chelsea has partnered with Fertility Plus, one of London’s leading fertility clinics, to create a dedicated fund that any player can access. The fund covers a wide array of services, from egg freezing and in‑vitro fertilisation to routine smear tests, contraception, counselling, and educational workshops.
The aim is to equip athletes with the information and resources required to make informed decisions about their reproductive health. Participation is entirely voluntary; players can tap into the support whenever they feel it is appropriate, with the club standing by them throughout the process.
The newly introduced Player Maternity Policy is extensive. It offers personalised guidance throughout pregnancy and the post‑partum recovery period, financial assistance for a partner or nanny to travel to away fixtures for up to a year after a player returns to training, and enhanced provisions for adoption and parental leave.
In addition, the club provides wage protection and subsidised childcare, ensuring that financial concerns do not force a player to choose between her career and her family. Head coach Sonia Bompastor highlighted the significance of the programme in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, stating, “Our priority has always been to give our players the best possible support. We want them to have the knowledge and options they need to decide what’s right for their lives.
No longer do they have to pick between a professional career and becoming a mother – both paths are now viable.” Former goalkeeper and current commercial manager for the women’s side, Carly Telford, was instrumental in forging the partnership with Fertility Plus. She told Sky Sports, “I have seen firsthand the challenges female athletes face when navigating fertility choices. We needed a clinic that understood us as athletes first and as women second, offering more than just egg‑freezing – from hormone management to endometriosis treatment, cycle tracking, and comprehensive testing. The choice ultimately rests with the individual, but the club’s role is to provide those options and the reassurance that we view our players as whole people, not just footballers.” Bompastor’s own experience adds weight to the policy.
She and her partner, Chelsea assistant coach Camille Abily, are parents of four. Reflecting on her playing days, Bompastor explained that limited options forced her to retire earlier than she might have otherwise, as she struggled to reconcile the demands of elite sport with the desire to start a family. “When I think back, I didn’t have a real choice. I had to end my career sooner to become a mother.
The questions about pregnancy, childcare, and maintaining top‑level performance were overwhelming, and there were no clear answers,” she said. “Now, having a club that openly supports these issues, provides education, and creates pathways for motherhood, is something I’m incredibly proud of.” While no Chelsea player has publicly announced plans to utilise the new resources yet – a decision that remains private – early feedback from the squad has been positive. Telford noted that conversations with teammates revealed a strong appetite for the support, with many players expressing relief that the club is proactively addressing these matters.
Confidentiality remains a cornerstone of the programme; medical information is shared only between Fertility Plus specialists and the club’s designated health professionals. Chelsea is not entirely new to pregnancy in the squad.
Mid‑fielder Melanie Leupolz gave birth in 2022 and returned to action, while Zecira Musovic took maternity leave after moving back to Sweden in 2025. Their experiences, along with former captain Millie Bright’s recent pregnancy announcement after retirement, have underscored the need for structured support for older players who may be considering family planning later in their careers. The dual focus on fertility and maternity care creates a seamless safety net.
Players can address reproductive health concerns—such as hormone balance, endometriosis, or cycle regularity—while also having a clear roadmap for pregnancy, parental leave, and return‑to‑play protocols. Bompastor summed it up: “Being a mother is a skill you learn on the job. Having access to a platform where you can share experiences, get professional advice, and receive practical support makes a world of difference. Managing two full‑time roles—athlete and parent—requires that level of backing.” Beyond the immediate benefits for Chelsea’s athletes, Telford hopes the club’s high‑profile stance will spark broader change across sport.
She said, “We want other clubs, other sports, and governing bodies to see that women’s health matters and that providing these options is both possible and essential. Football reaches millions; if we can shift the narrative around women’s bodies, fertility, and career longevity, we’ll be contributing to a healthier future for all women, not just athletes.” In an era where the conversation about gender equity in sport is gaining momentum, Chelsea’s pioneering policy stands as a concrete example of how clubs can translate rhetoric into actionable support. By offering comprehensive fertility services, robust maternity provisions, and a culture that encourages open dialogue, the Blues are setting a benchmark that other teams—and perhaps entire leagues—will be hard‑pressed to ignore.