Carrot Tackles Rural America's Fertility Care Access Crisis by Integrating OB/GYN Visits

A first-of-its-kind program makes initial fertility evaluations, monitoring, and more available at in-network OB/GYNs – expanding access for the millions of Americans who live more than 100 miles from an IVF specialist

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa, May 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, there are approximately 1,500 board-certified Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) subspecialists in the United States, with only about 1,250 in active practice, and more than 40,000 OB/GYNs. For the 35 million people living in a U.S county without a single fertility specialist, this disparity has shaped one of America's largest healthcare challenges: IVF and other family-building treatments remain out of reach for too many people.

Carrot, the leading global fertility and family care platform, is changing that. Today the company announced that qualified board-certified OB/GYNs are now eligible Carrot providers for early-stage fertility care — including initial evaluations, diagnostic workups, monitoring, and more. It is the first plan-sponsored fertility benefit in the U.S. to formally cover care delivered in vetted OB/GYN's offices.

What makes the expansion clinically possible is Carrot Intelligence, the AI platform Carrot introduced last month to connect every part of a member's fertility journey. Clinical data flows securely between the OB/GYN, the REI, and the Carrot care team, so members never have to start from square one as they move through care. The same platform powers personalized guidance between visits — helping members understand what questions to ask, what to expect next, and what their results mean — while giving Carrot a continuous, contextual view of each member's care journey. The result: a single connected and contextualized fertility care experience for members – and stronger outcomes and ROI for plan sponsors.

Carrot's expansion arrives at an inflection point for the field. Last week, at its 75th Annual Clinical & Scientific Meeting, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) highlighted care deserts as one of the defining challenges facing reproductive medicine, announcing a landmark partnership to bring clinical decision support directly to OB/GYNs on the front lines. Providers, employers and other leaders are converging on the same conviction: OB/GYNS can and should be empowered as partners in fertility care.

"Most people already have a relationship with their OB/GYN long before fertility is even on their radar," said Dr. Javine McLaughlin, Chief Clinical Officer at Carrot. "Recognizing OB/GYNs as eligible fertility care providers for early evaluations and interventions means our members can start that journey with a doctor they already know and trust in their own community."

By recognizing board-certified OB/GYNs as eligible Carrot providers, Carrot is closing a gap that has long existed between the promise of fertility benefits and the reality of how people seek care. This expansion has particular significance for three groups of members:

• Members in fertility care deserts. A fertility benefit you can't use isn't a benefit. Over 35 million Americans live in counties without a fertility specialist. For these members, OB/GYNs are not a second-best option — they're often the only option. Carrot now gives millions more people a starting line they can actually reach.
• Members who are just getting started on their fertility journey. Not every member needs a specialist from Day 1. Many are at the very beginning — seeking answers, not interventions. OB/GYNs are the natural first clinical touchpoint for early evaluations, and this expansion ensures their Carrot benefit reflects that reality.
• Members who prefer a less invasive path first. With 89% of Carrot members preferring less invasive options before IVF, OB/GYNs are uniquely positioned to support those earlier interventions, including ovulation induction and IUI, without unnecessary escalation to specialist care.

When care does need to progress to IVF or other specialized treatment, the transition is seamless. Clinical data flows directly from the OB/GYN to the receiving fertility specialist, so members never arrive at their first REI appointment as strangers to the care team. Importantly, the same Carrot care team stays with them throughout the journey, ensuring continuity and context as care progresses. Between in-person specialist visits, members can also access Carrot's on-demand virtual care for support, guidance, and answers to questions in real time. The result is a continuous, connected care experience — not a series of disconnected handoffs.

The expansion increases access and also lowers cost — for members and for plan sponsors. OB/GYN visits cost significantly less than REI appointments, and for many members, early-stage interventions are enough on their own, without escalation to advanced assisted reproductive technology (ART).

About Carrot
Carrot is the leading global fertility and family care platform, built on intelligent care orchestration: the right clinical guidance, at the right moment, in the context of each member's life. More than a thousand multinational employers, health plans, and health systems trust Carrot to support millions of members across 195 countries — from pre-pregnancy through menopause and major life moments in between. Carrot's comprehensive clinical program delivers industry-leading cost savings for plan sponsors and award-winning experiences and improved outcomes for millions of people worldwide.

Carrot is widely regarded as a defining force in healthcare innovation as a recipient of several top-tier awards, including Fast Company's 'Most Innovative Companies' and CNBC's '100 Barrier Breaking Startups'. The company is regularly cited by leading global outlets — including The Economist, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, ABC News, and Harvard Business Review — as a leading voice on digital health, the future of work, and family health. Learn more at get-carrot.com.

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SOURCE Carrot Fertility, Inc.