Tammy Sun, the Founder and CEO of Carrot Fertility, is a pioneering leader driving transformative change in global fertility care. With a profound commitment to comprehensive and inclusive services, Carrot Fertility addresses the diverse needs of individuals navigating their family-building journeys and beyond.
Navigating the complex landscape of women’s health and fertility care demands an inclusive and personalized approach—a principle that aligns closely with Carrot’s mission. Tammy highlights the diverse needs of those facing fertility challenges, emphasizing the critical role of tailored support amidst a sea of information, costs, and legal considerations. Carrot’s innovative model encompasses the full spectrum of fertility and hormonal healthcare, pioneering a lifecycle approach that transcends traditional boundaries.
As Carrot continues to expand its offerings and educate members, Tammy remains steadfast in her pursuit of transforming reproductive health and family-building care on a global scale.
What motivated you to start Carrot Fertility?
In my 30s, I decided to freeze my eggs. I was surprised to learn that despite having a great job and health insurance, my three rounds of egg freezing wouldn’t be covered. I spent more than $35,000 out-of-pocket.
While the overall experience was emotionally challenging, I also felt grateful that I had enough money in savings to pay for my care. That’s not true for most people who undergo fertility treatments. Cost is one of the biggest barriers to accessing care, and I was set on changing that. Carrot’s mission was born from this vision of fertility care for all, inclusive of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, income, marital status, and geography. Today, we are the leading global platform for comprehensive support and access to care for maternity through menopause — and pre-pregnancy through parenting.
Can you tell us a bit about the women’s health landscape overall? What makes fertility care so complex? Why is an inclusive, personalized, and comprehensive approach necessary for those experiencing infertility?
While fertility and family-building care is a fundamental part of healthcare, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Some people know they want to grow their family but aren’t sure where to start. Others have begun the process but have encountered challenges and need guidance on what step to take next. The experience is unique for everyone, but with so much information out there – and other added complexities, including navigating costs and local laws and regulations – it can be challenging for an individual to understand what’s best for them and their personal needs. That’s why we work directly with our members to create personalized Carrot Plans that guide members every step of the way.
How does Carrot stand out from other women’s health players? What current gaps is the company fulfilling?
What sets Carrot apart is our global and inclusive approach. We are the first organization to demonstrate an international presence since day one. We have reached into more than 130 countries and offer end-to-end translation of the Carrot app (web, iOS, Android) in ten languages, allowing employers to offer unilateral benefits.
Carrot is also the only fertility benefits platform that focuses on the full lifecycle of fertility and hormonal healthcare – from fertility preservation, treatments, and pregnancy to menopause and low testosterone for healthy aging. We have the largest provider network to support members globally, no matter their age or journey.
How has F-Prime supported Carrot in getting to where it is today?
Carl and the F-Prime team have been instrumental in Carrot’s journey by deeply understanding the significance of enhancing health outcomes through improving access to high-quality, lifelong fertility care. Since joining Carrot’s board in August 2020, Carl has been a key strategic partner when navigating challenges and seizing opportunities in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape. Carl’s strategic approach, coupled with his profound expertise, has guided us toward success for our customers, partners, and most importantly our members.
How did you come up with the company name?
First-generation fertility products were largely cycle tracking-related and feminized in their naming and branding. We knew early on that fertility was a human healthcare issue — not only a women’s health issue. Carrot is easy to say, easy to recognize, and we’re continuing to build a brand around the name that invites all people to engage in lifelong fertility and hormonal healthcare.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your tenure with Carrot to date?
Hearing directly from our Carrot members. We support people throughout some of the most meaningful times in their lives, and we don’t take that for granted. Whether it’s hearing from members who adopted their son, a member who was able to work with a postpartum doula, or a member who could now afford to freeze her eggs, each and every one of these personal stories means so much to me, and our team. It’s the most rewarding part of our work.
What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was from a friend, who sadly passed away a few years ago. She was a daring, brilliant, and successful entrepreneur. She was also an author who published a best-selling book not long before she passed away. I once asked her why she decided to write a book and she replied, “because I could no longer not write one.” She had something she thought she could give the world. Similarly, there was a point when I could no longer not start a company whose mission is to bring fertility care to all people. This is the advice I’d pass on to anyone thinking about embarking on a journey to build an enduring company. Do it, but only if you think there’s no other pursuit you can, or should, be doing instead.
What are your near-term and future goals for Carrot? How do you see Carrot supporting expanded access to fertility and family building care?
We continue to focus on expanding access and improving outcomes for our members through personalized care. That includes educating our members about their options and guiding them to the right level of intervention based on their needs.
With preventive options like fertility testing, ovulation tracking, and nutrition support, we encourage members to approach their fertility health proactively. Two-thirds of Carrot members choose less invasive options over IVF when appropriate, eliminating costly and medically unnecessary procedures.
For cases where IVF is the best option, Carrot members are educated on the benefits of single embryo transfer (SET), which is the single most predictive indicator of a singleton IVF pregnancy and subsequent successful live birth. It is an important clinical protocol used to avoid multiple gestation pregnancies, which are associated with higher medical costs and poorer health outcomes for mothers and infants.
Last year, we published an internal study, also validated by independent actuarial service Milliman, demonstrating the highest reported SET rate of any fertility benefits vendor and an IVF pregnancy rate greatly exceeding national averages. The study found that Carrot’s SET rate of 93% was 27% higher than the national average and that our IVF pregnancy rate of 60% is 11% percent higher than the national average. Our industry-leading SET rate leads to a reduced risk of low-birth-weight deliveries and costly NICU admissions, ultimately reducing overall healthcare costs.
What makes you most hopeful about the impact that Carrot could have for women when it comes to family building and beyond?
Over the last few years at Carrot, we’ve launched new products and expanded our offerings to ensure our members have access to care, no matter what fertility, pregnancy, hormonal health, or family-building journeys they’re on. One product I’m particularly passionate about is our menopause support.
By 2025, 1.1 billion women worldwide will have experienced menopause. Symptoms can last for years and disrupt daily life, yet menopause is rarely discussed at work despite it impacting women at the height of their careers. In fact, 80% of women cite menopause as a workplace challenge and more than half have considered making an employment change due to menopause.
We were the first fertility benefits platform to introduce menopause support, and now, nearly all of our 1,000+ customers have started offering the benefit to their employees, showing promise that the tides are turning towards more menopause support in the workplace. I’m hopeful that a year from now, we’ll see even more leading employers recognize the need for menopause support and that it becomes a standard part of healthcare benefits.
Carrot’s mission was born from this vision of fertility care for all, inclusive of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, income, marital status, and geography.
— Tammy Sun, Founder and CEO of Carrot Fertility