Babies via egg donation & the importance of the birth mother Epigenetics is a new (well to some of us!) buzzword in the field of egg donation for conception. Essentially Epigenetics refers to factors outside the gene, such as a cell's exposure to hormones or genetic variations that can modify a gene. Such factors can change what is ultimately expressed; they can change a phenotype i.e.: they can alter what an organism looks like as a consequence of the interaction of its gene AND the environment. In terms of conception via egg donation that environment begins with the womb of the birth mother. Some examples include hormone and reproductive factors in a woman that may influence the chances of breast and ovarian cancer. These factors are believed to be linked to a woman's exposure to estrogen and progesterone and their effects on cell differentiation in the breast that occur during pregnancy. Conventional science has historically linked cell behaviour to the genes presen...

"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give" Kahlil Gibran There is no greater gift that a woman can give, then the gift of life. As we enter the second month of 2010 and some of those new year resolutions start to fade, egg donation is a selfless act that will forever be appreciated and may change the life of a woman in a way you can only imagine. Whether the donated compensation which you will receive matter to you or not, the act of giving touches the soul and remains forever appreciated. Since the first pregnancy with egg donation in South Africa, performed at Cape Fertility Clinic, Cape Town in 1986, egg donation has become a regular and routine treatment over the past 22 years and the number of people seeking this form of fertility treatment has increased. The statistics are that 33% of women older than 37 years, who present to a fertility clinic with infertility, will require the use of donor eggs to achi...

Egg Donation - A Happy Ending For those women whose “partners look at them and they fall pregnant” the use of donor eggs may seem completely absurd. It’s a case of “If you have never walked in someone’s shoes don’t judge them,” and often it’s a complete ignorance, as is the case when you are dealing with a choice you would never have to make. The reality is that, for those increasing woman who, without the use of donor eggs would never be able to experience motherhood, egg donation is the greatest gift of life. The need for donor eggs is on the increase, as infertility becomes a widespread in a sentence that does not discriminate. Our fast paced lifestyles; stress, cancer and delaying having children are all factors that can result in a woman’s ovaries not functioning to produce viable eggs for fertilisation. For these woman an egg donor is a last resort and a gift of life. The world of fertility brings fulfillment and joy to couples via egg donation, or surrogacy. In South Africa we a...

Babies via egg donation & the importance of the birth mother Epigenetics is a new (well to some of us!) buzzword in the field of egg donation for conception. Essentially Epigenetics refers to factors outside the gene, such as a cell's exposure to hormones or genetic variations that can modify a gene. Such factors can change what is ultimately expressed; they can change a phenotype i.e.: they can alter what an organism looks like as a consequence of the interaction of its gene AND the environment. In terms of conception via egg donation that environment begins with the womb of the birth mother. Some examples include hormone and reproductive factors in a woman that may influence the chances of breast and ovarian cancer. These factors are believed to be linked to a woman's exposure to estrogen and progesterone and their effects on cell differentiation in the breast that occur during pregnancy. Conventional science has historically linked cell behaviour to the genes present. La...

Egg donation in South Africa is indeed legal and legislated as Chapter 8 of the National Health Act (Act no 61 of 2003) Gamete donation is regulated by The Policy Committee of the South African Society of Reproductive Science and Surgery. The 2008 Guidelines for gamete donation provides the latest recommendations for clinicians involved in assisted conception using gamete (egg) donors. Egg donation in South Africa is anonymous which allows the recipient parents to choose whether to reveal the details of their child’s conception. For psychological and to ensure optimal egg quality, only donors between the ages of 21 and 34 can be recruited by egg donor agencies. There are no requirements in South Africa for an egg donor registry to be kept and the child’s birth certificate details the names of the recipient parents. It is important for intended parents planning egg donation in South Africa to choose a reputable egg donation agency – one that works with the leading fertility clinics in S...