Cape Fertility Clinic’s Egg Donation Program: Your Path to Parenthood

Who needs egg donation?

Women:

• who are menopausal or have poor ovarian reserve
• who are not falling pregnant after repeat IVF treatments
• who are not responding to the drugs used in IVF
• whose ovaries have been removed surgically or who have undergone chemotherapy and ovaries are not functioning.

What is the Process of Egg Donation?

This process involves obtaining eggs (oocytes) from a healthy young donor, fertilizing them, and then transferring the fertilized embryo into your uterus.
The reason that this procedure is highly successful is that the success rate in IVF (in-vitro fertilization) depends on the age of the egg donor. All the egg donors are young and healthy and therefore we have a high pregnancy rate. Your age, as the recipient of the egg does NOT affect the pregnancy rate. It is our clinic’s policy to only treat woman up to the age of 50 years with egg donation.

How do I Find an Egg Donor?

Egg donors are sourced by egg donation agencies. You can obtain the list via your doctor or your IVF coordinator. Cape Fertility only works with the agencies that follow the SASREG ethical guidelines. If you have not been in touch with an agency yet you can request the list of the agencies by emailing one of our IVF coordinators.

We do have our own egg donation program at Cape Fertility with the option of both fresh or frozen eggs.

Contact Dawn Blank dawn@capefertility.co.za to find an egg donor.

What do I Need to do Prior to Starting on the Egg Donation Program?

You need to complete our medical questionnaire and return it to us with the requested results.
We would like to evaluate the results of tests that you have had previously. The test results
should not be older than 12 months. The tests that are required are:

Wife/female recipient:

Blood tests:

(1) FSH test done on day 3 of cycle
(2) HIV I and II
(3) RPR (Syphilis)
(4) Hep B S Ag
(5) Hep C Ab
(6) Rubella IgG blood test (immunity)
(7) TSH
(8) Prolactin

Other tests:

(1) Recent transvaginal pelvic ultrasound
(2) HSG (hysterosalpingogram) or hysteroscopy or saline infusion sonogram
(not compulsory but might be requested by your treating Doctor after reviewing your medical history and ultrasound scan result)

Husband/partner:

(1) Semen analysis

Blood tests:

(1) HIV 1 and II
(2) RPR (Syphilis)
(3) Hep B S Ag
(4) Hep C Ab

What Medication do I Have to Get Prior to Seeing the Doctor in Cape Town?

1) Leuprolide acetate depot injection 3.75mg ( Lucrin, Lupron, Prostap, Enantone)

This injection is given on day 1 of your period. The doctor will tell you which period will be the best one to commence your injection on. This injection suppresses your own natural ovulation so that we can co-ordinate your cycle with that of the donor. The injection can be given subcutaneously. Alternatively the daily leuprolide acetate injections or the nasal spray, Synarel, may be used.

2) Estradiol valerate tablets 2mg – 140 tablets (Progynova, Estropause, Estrace)

These tablets are started after you had the above injection, 16 days prior to your first appointment in Cape Town. The doctor will tell you when to commence these tablets. They should be taken in the following way:

– 1 tablet daily for 3 days, then
– 2 tablets daily for 3 days, then
– 3 tablets daily for 3 days, then
– 4 tablets daily. Continue with 4 tablets daily.

These tablets thicken and prepare the lining of the womb prior to the embryo transfer.

3) Progesterone tablets or injections

Progesterone in oil injections (100mg)– 35 ampoules (Gestone) will only be started after you have seen the doctor in Cape Town and can therefore be obtained from us. You will be told exactly what day to start the injections. It is usually on the day of the donor’s egg retrieval. A very good alternative to these injections is oral tablets. We give Duphaston 10 mg, two tablets in the morning and two at night. These tablets are safe, well tolerated, effective and cheap.

How do I obtain these medications?

Medication listed under point 1 and 2 can be obtained from our clinic or your local Dr. If you live outside of the African continent these medications can be couriered to you from an international pharmacy in London. We will provide you with an order form to order this.

Medication listed under point 3 can be obtained from our clinic on the day of your 1st appointment.

On Arrival in Cape Town

The first visit to the doctor will be approximately 2-4 days prior to the egg collection of the donor. You will have a painless vaginal ultrasound scan performed to check the thickness of the endometrium (lining of the womb). If the lining of the womb is too thin your estradiol tablets will be increased. Informed consent is also signed at this appointment. You are required to stay in Cape Town for a minimum of 12 days.

The Egg Donor
Who are the Egg Donors?
All the egg donors are young healthy women under 35 years of age.

Can We Choose a Donor?

Legally in South Africa egg donation is anonymous. However, the agency will provide you with a profile containing details about the donor’s physical characteristics, medical background, education, hobbies etc.

What’s the Legal Situation on Egg Donation in South Africa?

The National Health Act of 2004 regulates all gamete donations and the procedure is legal in this country.

What Happens to the Egg Donor?

The egg donor has a detailed medical examination and psychological assessment prior to her donation.

The routine investigations performed on the donor are:

HIV I and II
RPR (Syphillis)
HepB s Ag
Hep C Ab
Cytomegalovirus IgM
Chlamydia PCR
Gonorrhea PCR
Blood group
Cystic Fibrosis dF508 and 3120+1G>A

Additional tests can be performed at an additional cost to you if required. International organisations, eg. ASRM, HFEA, ESHRE, list additional screening tests for egg donors.

What Treatment Does the Egg Donor Undergo?

The egg donor has fertility injections for 10-12 days to grow the follicles / eggs followed by egg retrieval. The egg retrieval is performed under ultrasound guidance. This is a 10 minute operation where the eggs are retrieved using a vaginal ultrasound and a fine needle. This is done using anesthetic in theatre.

How are the Embryos Cultured?

Once the eggs are retrieved, they are fertilized using the partner’s sperm. (Frozen sperm from our donor cryobank can also be obtained if required). Our laboratory has excellent facilities with ICSI (injection of sperm into eggs), embryo freezing and blastocyst culture available.

Embryo Transfer?

The embryologist will tell you which day to come in for your embryo transfer. Usually 1 or 2 embryos are transferred. You may freeze remaining embryos for use at a later date.

This is an easy procedure much like a gynecological examination. A speculum is inserted and a fine plastic tube inserted into the womb to insert the embryos. An ultrasound machine will be used to visualize the transfer of the embryos. At least 10 minutes rest after this procedure is advised.

Following the embryo transfer:

You are advised not to do any heavy exercise.
You may have sexual intercourse – it does not reduce your chances of becoming pregnant.

Pregnancy Test

A blood test for pregnancy hormone (HCG) will be done 14 days after the egg retrieval. This can
be performed once you have returned home if you have traveled for treatment to the Cape Fertility Clinic. The blood test is usually repeated 2 days later and then again 1 week later to check the pregnancy hormone levels are increasing appropriately.

Costs of Egg Donation
Please refer to our fee structure documents.

Why Cape Town?

Standards for medical treatment in Cape Town are among the highest in the world, and pregnancy rates at the Cape Fertility Clinic are comparable to the best anywhere. In addition Cape Town is a well-known holiday destination and has lots to offer to its visitors. Beaches, mountains, the Wine lands and the famous waterfront. You won’t be bored here and the sunshine is for free.

We speak English, IsiXhosa, Afrikaans, French and Dutch.

Where Can We Stay?

There are many accommodation options in Cape Town. We can provide you with a list of recommended accommodation where previous patients have stayed. You can e-mail our IVF coordinators to request a copy of this list.

Questions – Who to Ask?

Fertility treatment can sometimes be psychologically distressing. At the Cape Fertility Clinic, it is our aim to make the treatment as friendly as possible. We will do our best to help you fulfill your dream. We hope that your treatment will be successful and that you will be blessed with a healthy baby!

If you have any problems or questions please feel free to contact us at: +27 21 6742088/1.

Our egg donation team consists of the following people:

The Doctors:

Dr. Paul le Roux (pleroux@capefertility.co.za)
Dr. Nomathamsanqa Matebese (tmatebese@capefertility.co.za)
Dr. Sulaiman Heylen (sheylen@capefertility.co.za)
Dr. Lizle Oosthuizen (loosthuizen@capefertility.co.za)

Egg Donation Program:

Dawn Blank (dawn@capefertility.co.za)
(General Manager Egg Donor Program & Intended Parents Support)

Linda Krebser (linda@capefertility.co.za)
(Egg Donation Facilitator)

Egg Donation coordinators:

Sr. Heidi Clark (heidi@capefertility.co.za)
Sr. Sr Tanya Moffat (tanya@capefertility.co.za)

(Egg Donation co-ordinators for Dr Paul le Roux)

Sr. Elaine Brenkman (elaine@capefertility.co.za)
(Egg Donation co-ordinator for Dr Sulaiman Heylen)

Sr. Lee Van Ryneveld (lee@capefertility.co.za)
(Co-ordinator for Dr Nomathamsanqa Matebese)

Sr. Inari Mulke (inari@capefertility.co.za)
(Co-ordinator for Dr Lizle Oosthuizen)

Embryologists:

Ms. Tshifhiwa Raidani, Ms. Hughlene Baker, Ms. Zulaigha Williams, Ms. Teresa Ernest, Mr. Jonathan Gosling, Mr. Darren Jones, Ms. Micarla Ramnares.

Secretaries:

Nazeema Abrahams, Roshaan Sheldon, Nocawe Ngqinambi, Georgina Lekay.

Accounts:

Gadija Creighton.

Nursing Staff:

Sr Lezanne Barthus, Ms. Diane Davids, Ms. Rosemary Jennings, Ms. Monica Nkewu.
Website: www.capefertility.co.za