Question 1

What is the history and background of Vitalab?

Accepted Answer

Vitalab was founded in 1984 and has grown into a leading South African fertility clinic with branches in Johannesburg (Sandton) and Umhlanga, KwaZulu‑Natal. The clinic boasts over 150 years of combined experience among its fertility specialists and was the first in Africa to join the international Oncofertility Consortium in 2017. Vitalab is proudly SASREG accredited and holds ISO 15189 accreditation for its medical laboratory, reflecting its commitment to quality and patient safety. To date, more than 20,000 babies have been born through its programmes.

Question 2

What are the IVF success rates at Vitalab?

Accepted Answer

Vitalab reports a fresh ICSI embryo transfer clinical pregnancy success rate of 60.9% for the 2024 cycle. This figure reflects the proportion of transfers that resulted in a confirmed pregnancy and highlights the clinic's strong laboratory performance. In addition, the clinic has facilitated the birth of over 20,000 babies since its inception, underscoring its long‑term track record of delivering successful outcomes. Success rates improve with younger female age and with the use of pre‑implantation genetic testing (PGT‑A), which Vitalab employs in approximately 85% of IVF cycles to select euploid embryos.

Question 3

Does Vitalab provide fertility treatment for same‑sex couples?

Accepted Answer

Vitalab has a long‑standing commitment to LGBTQ+ families and offers tailored fertility solutions for both male and female same‑sex couples. Female couples can choose egg donation, sperm donation, or a combination of both, while male couples are supported with egg donor selection and gestational carrier (surrogate) coordination. The clinic’s comprehensive programme includes legal referral for surrogacy contracts, access to VEDA’s egg donor bank, and international sperm donor options, ensuring that same‑sex partners receive the same high‑quality assisted reproduction services as any other patients.

Question 4

Who are the fertility doctors and specialists at Vitalab?

Accepted Answer

Vitalab’s medical team is led by Dr Lawrence Gobetz, a veteran reproductive endocrinologist and Medical Director with decades of experience in fertility surgery and IVF. Other key specialists include Dr Chris Venter, Dr Yossi Unterslak, Dr Anthony Picton, Dr Deanna Guidozzi, and Dr Lisa Spark, all of whom are registered with the South African Medical and Dental Council. The clinic’s collective expertise exceeds 150 years, covering IVF, ICSI, reproductive surgery, and onco‑fertility, and is supported by a dedicated staff of embryologists, nurses, and coordinators who ensure comprehensive patient care.

Question 5

Does Vitalab treat single women seeking fertility treatment?

Accepted Answer

Vitalab explicitly supports single women who wish to become mothers, offering two primary pathways: sperm donation combined with IVF or ICSI, and egg freezing for future use. Single patients can access anonymous international sperm donors through VCSA or local cryobanks, and the clinic provides comprehensive counselling, hormonal stimulation, and egg retrieval procedures. These options allow single women to preserve fertility or achieve pregnancy without a male partner, with the same high standards of care applied to all patients.

Question 6

Does Vitalab offer egg donation for IVF treatment?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Vitalab runs an active egg donation programme through its dedicated VEDA‑Vitalab Egg Donation Agency. The service matches recipients with screened, anonymous donors aged 18‑32 and includes full coordination of donor screening, legal consent, and embryo creation. Egg donation cycles are integrated with IVF, and the clinic’s in‑house egg bank ensures rapid access to suitable donor eggs. Financial compensation for reasonable donor expenses is permitted under South African law, and the clinic adheres to the limit of six live births per donor.

Question 7

What fertility treatments and services does Vitalab offer?

Accepted Answer

Vitalab provides a full spectrum of assisted reproduction services, including in‑vitro fertilisation (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), intrauterine insemination (IUI), and artificial insemination (AI). The clinic also offers fertility preservation options such as egg freezing, sperm freezing, and embryo freezing, as well as an in‑house egg donor bank (VEDA) and access to international sperm donors through VCSA. Additional programmes cover egg donation, surrogacy coordination, pre‑implantation genetic testing (PGT‑A), immune‑modulation therapy, reproductive surgery, and specialised onco‑fertility care for cancer patients.

Question 8

What IVF laboratory technology does Vitalab use?

Accepted Answer

Vitalab’s IVF laboratory operates under ISO 15189 accreditation, ensuring international standards for quality and performance. The clinic employs vitrification technology for rapid freezing of oocytes, sperm and embryos, preserving viability for future use. Embryo culture is performed in state‑of‑the‑art incubators, and trophectoderm biopsy is used for pre‑implantation genetic testing (PGT‑A) with results processed by external genetics labs such as FutureGen and Next Bioscience. These advanced laboratory protocols support high clinical pregnancy rates and consistent embryo quality.

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