Egg Donation in South Africa – How Does the Egg Donation Process Work?
Thousands of women around the world struggle to fall pregnant with their own eggs, which are of poor quality for various reasons. Previously, these women’s options were limited to adoption, but for the last 30 years, egg donations from caring and selfless healthy young women have given them an opportunity to become pregnant with their own babies.
Since the first pregnancy through egg donation was achieved in South Africa in 1986, just two years after the world’s first pregnancy through egg donation in Australia, egg donation has become a routine treatment at fertility clinics around the world.
The last three decades have also seen many advances in the medical technology that facilitates egg donation, as well as in the legal framework for egg donation across the world. In South Africa, egg donation is legal and regulated by The National Health Act of 2004. It is also good to know that South Africa has amongst the best egg donation laws in the world that protects you – the donor, as well as the recipient.
If you are one of these amazing and caring women willing to donate eggs, you will likely have many questions about the process. Here are the answers you need to make an informed choice about donating eggs and making it possible for another woman, who is longing to have a child, to become pregnant.
How to Donate Eggs in South Africa
Egg donation is a 7-step process. Our team at Cape Fertility Clinic is with you, supporting you, throughout your entire egg donation process, as well as after your egg donation is completed.
Step 1
Your journey starts with applying to become an egg donor by simply filling in your contact details here, or contacting our Egg Donor Fairy God Mother, Linda, on 066 22 55 003 or linda@capefertility.co.za. Your information is 100% confidential and will under no circumstances be made available to anybody else.
Linda has many years of experience supporting egg donors and a wealth of information to share, and will gladly answer your questions and guide you further in giving the gift of a lifetime.
Step 2
Complete a confidential medical questionnaire to ascertain your suitability as an egg donor.
Step 3
If your medical questionnaire confirms your suitability to donate eggs, Linda will assist you in completing an Egg Donor Profile, which is anonymous and confidential. Your privacy and anonymity are guaranteed with us.
Step 4
Your profile is added to Cape Fertility’s world-class and secure database of egg donors from which moms-to-be can select their match: some look at physical characteristics that match their own and others look for similar lifestyle choices and interests.
Egg donation in South Africa is anonymous and confidential by law, and the disclosure of the identity of either the egg donor or the recipient is prohibited. As such, the donor profile seen by potential recipients only contain details about the donor’s physical characteristics, medical background, education and hobbies, as well as childhood photos – never names, personal details or adult photos – to ensure your donation remains anonymous.
Step 5
Once your profile has been selected by a donor, you will be required to attend a 2-hour appointment to see one of our fertility specialists and our psychologist. The full egg donation procedure will be explained to you and you will have an opportunity to ask any questions you may have and to discuss any concerns. During your appointment, you will also have a detailed medical examination, including routine investigations and a psychological assessment.
Cape Fertility Clinic facilitates more egg donor matches than any other clinic in South Africa. We have many local and international recipients every month who require an egg donor.
Since there are fewer egg donors than couples who need eggs to achieve their dream of becoming pregnant, you have a very good chance of being selected to donate soon, if not immediately.
Step 6
The next step is to complete an egg donation cycle.
During your egg donation cycle, you will be cared for by a specialist medical team of fertility specialists, qualified nursing sisters, a resident psychologist and a dedicated egg donor co-ordinator, who have been caring for egg donors’ emotional and medical needs for many years and have safely completed thousands of treatments.
Our Egg Donor Co-ordinator, Linda, and our team are there for you 24/7 and will take care of all your needs as one of our egg donors.
The egg donation cycle starts with fertility injections for 10-12 days to grow the follicles (eggs). You will need to attend about four doctor’s appointments over the two-week period for regular ultrasounds to check the development of the eggs and to ensure that the medication you are taking is responding well with your body, to safeguard your health.
Most donors experience no side effects at all while on this medication. Some donors may experience PMS type symptoms like bloating, moodiness or pelvic discomfort. Any side effects will disappear when you stop taking the medication.
Egg retrieval day will require that you take a full day off work or your daily activities and arrangements for someone to take you home after the procedure.
The egg donation (retrieval) is performed by one of our fertility specialist doctors under ultrasound guidance using a vaginal ultrasound and a fine needle. We use a mild general anaesthetic and you will sleep during the procedure which takes about 30 minutes. You will not experience any pain during the procedure – there is no cutting, stitches or scarring.
After the procedure, you will stay in recovery for about 1 hour before going home. Some donors experience some discomfort similar to that experienced with a period, for which normal pain relief medication can be taken. Linda and our team will remain in constant contact with you. About 5 to 14 days later, you will have a period.
Clearly, donating eggs require more time and involvement than, for example, donating blood or volunteering for an hour or two. Egg donors cannot paid for the eggs, because the eggs are donated. However, by law, egg donors can be compensated for reasonable expenses – such as getting to and from the clinic for the various appointments and for the procedure on egg donation day.
At Cape Fertility Clinic, you receive the maximum permissible compensation allowable in South Africa under the National Guidelines from the South African Society for Reproductive Medicine (SASREG), which is currently R8000 per donation cycle. This maximum compensation is paid by us, directly to you, on the day of and after your egg donation.
Step 7
After your egg donation experience, Linda and our team will remain in contact with you. You can decide whether you would like to remain available for another donation. By law you may donate up to six times. Many donors donate more than once because they find the joy of helping to fulfil another’s dream such a rewarding experience.
Should you decide to donate again, the maximum permissible compensation allowable in South Africa is paid to you for every egg donation cycle.
Where Is The Best Place For Me To Donate Eggs?
As a potential egg donor, it is extremely important that you be assured that the clinic at which you donate is a world-class medical facility, dedicated to your care and medical safety.
Cape Fertility Clinic has been leading the way in egg donation since 1993 and for the last 26 years we have worked with thousands of egg donors in a friendly, relaxed and caring environment at our advanced, purpose-built facilities in the beautiful city of Cape Town. By joining the Cape Fertility Egg Donor Program, you are assured that you are donating eggs at a leading South African fertility clinic, where you can expect dedicated one-on-one attention to make your egg donation process a positive experience.
If you don’t live in Cape Town, it is not a problem – all your travel and accommodation arrangements will be explained to you and all your expenses will be covered.
Your First Step to Becoming An Egg Donor in South Africa
If you are willing to donate eggs to help another woman fulfil her dream of having her own baby, you will be pleased to know that the first step is as simple as contacting us.
Simply fill in your contact details here, or contact our Egg Donor Fairy God Mother, Linda, on 066 22 55 003 or linda@capefertility.co.za. Your information is 100% confidential and will under no circumstances be made available to anybody else.
Linda has many years of experience supporting egg donors and a wealth of information to share and will answer your questions and guide you further in giving the gift of a lifetime.
We look forward to welcoming you to our friendly, professional and leading Fertility Clinic and supporting you throughout your entire egg donation process, as well as after your egg donation is completed.