A GOOD egg

A compelling case for giving the life-changing gift of parenthood to couples or individuals struggling to have children of their own

- by LISA ABDELLAH

Total fertility rates in South Africa are steadily declining, and reproductive health challenges are becoming more common. Current estimates suggest that about one in six couples will experience difficulty conceiving. This struggle can lead to profound grief, feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and a sense of emptiness when facing a future that's different from what they'd planned.

Egg donation offers a pathway to parenthood for women who've gone through menopause, those with reduced ovarian reserve, or have experienced repeated IVF failure due to poor embryo quality, and also to same-sex couples and single parents.

Unfortunately, there are more recipients than donors. This situation could change if more women understood the benefits of donating their eggs, and could distinguish between the myths and facts surrounding the process.

THE CHALLENGE OF CONCEIVING

'Infertility affects men and women, and the causes often involve numerous factors, genetic or environmental,' says Dr Lizle Oosthuizen, a specialist gynaecologist and a specialist in reproductive medicine at Cape Fertility.

In women, factors that can play a role include: ovulatory disorders, a group of conditions that disrupt the body's natural process of maturing and releasing an egg (ovulation) during the menstrual cycle; tubal disease, where the fallopian tubes are damaged, scarred or blocked; uterine abnormalities, where the womb forms with an atypical shape or structure; and in 30–50% of women, endometriosis impacts fertility through inflammation, scarred fallopian tubes or reduced egg quality. In men, sperm quality and quantity are key contributors.

One of the most significant and growing contributors today is the timing of childbearing. 'As women increasingly pursue higher education, build careers, and wait until they feel emotionally and financially secure, they often delay pregnancy into their late 30s or even 40s,' says Dr Oosthuizen.