IVF trends in SA: 'Single women are opting to have their own child with donor sperm' – Specialist
More women are becoming aware of fertility preservation options, with many choosing to freeze their eggs or create embryos for future use.
Pregnancy / Pexels: Daniel Reche
John Maytham interviews Dr Antonio Rodrigues, Reproductive Medicine Specialist and Director of Medfem Fertility Clinic.
Listen below.
Rodrigues explains that when he first started performing IVF 35 years ago, the majority of patients were between the ages of 25 and 35.
However, today, that age group has shifted to women aged 35 to 50.
He attributes this change to the growing trend of women prioritising their careers, often delaying marriage and childbearing.
Additionally, he notes an increasing number of women who, due to not having a partner, are turning to fertility treatments later in life.
Rodrigues also observes that more women are becoming aware of fertility preservation options, with many choosing to freeze their eggs or create embryos for future use.
"Single women are opting to have their own child using donor sperm and a lot of them will land up either doing insemination or needing IVF."
- Dr Antonio Rodrigues, Reproductive Medicine Specialist and Director of Medfem Fertility Clinic
Rodrigues explains that at their fertility clinic, they strongly encourage anyone undergoing embryo creation to undergo pre-genetic testing to ensure the embryos are chromosomally normal.
He highlights that the pregnancy rate per tested embryo exceeds 80%, offering a high chance of success.
Rodrigues also emphasiaes the importance of lifestyle management, noting that factors such as diet, exercise, and overall health can significantly improve IVF success rates.
He acknowledges that IVF is a costly process, both financially and emotionally, but underscores its value in helping individuals and couples achieve their dream of parenthood.
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"I would like every person to do one IVF programme and be pregnant. That's our goal."
- Dr Antonio Rodrigues, Reproductive Medicine Specialist and Director of Medfem Fertility Clinic
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.