Donate Your Eggs At Vitalab Fertility Clinic in Durban or Johannesburg for Cash
Information about the Vitalab fertility clinic
Vitalab is a fertility clinic that has been around since 1984. The clinic prides itself on hiring specialist doctors who have expertise in reproduction and fertility. Vitalab’s mission is to help couples start their families. They are experts in fertility and offer a range of services outside of egg donation, such as surrogacy and sperm donation.
Vitalab has an Egg Donation program, which the VEDA-Vitalab Egg Donation Agency facilitates. The two are under the same umbrella and are associated with one another. The clinic works with Chinese, Portuguese and French patients.
They have offices in Johannesburg and Durban at present. You can click here to have a virtual tour of the Vitalab clinics.
Other services offered by Vitalab
Aside from egg donation, Vitalab also offers the following services: sperm donation, fertility preservation, reproductive surgery, surrogacy programs and ovulation timing, to name off the extensive list of services.
Vitalab Egg Donor Eligibility
The requirements of an egg donor Vitalab has a list of basic requirements. The ideal candidate must:
- Be between the ages of 18 and 32 years old.
- Have a body mass index (BMI) above 18 and below 29.
- Live in South Africa.
- Have completed matric.
- Be drug-free.
These are a straightforward overview of a viable candidate, and should you meet them, you will have to undergo further medical and psychological tests.
How does it work?
Consultations and medical evaluations
Once you pass the above, you will visit the clinic for a series of medical tests, including a routine drug test, blood tests, and transvaginal examination, to name a few. Furthermore, Vitalab requires you to attend mandatory counselling sessions, as it is crucial for Vitalab to ensure your mental preparedness for this monumental decision.
The following steps depend on the results of all the tests you have done. From there, keep reading below to learn about the additional expectations you will have during this journey.
Self-administered medication
Vitalab thoroughly outlines the procedures on the website. During their cycle and for 2+ weeks after that, successful candidates will take ‘the pill’. Once that is over, the stimulation phase is next. During this phase, candidates will receive medication commonly used during fertility treatments to “stimulate the development of multiple egg follicles for the recipient to attempt fertilisation and conception”.
You will have to take the medication (as injections) on your own for 10 -12 days. While you’re doing this, you will have to go in for check-ups at the Vitalab clinic.
It is important to note that there will be a few intrusive check-ups/tests (such as a gynaecological examination), and it is imperative that you go in mentally prepared for the physicals.
The egg retrieval process
Under “intravenous sedation”, the medical team carries out this process. It is basically a mild sedative so that the patient will be awake and coherent during the procedure, but you will not be able to feel anything.
The doctor performs the process transvaginally, so there won’t be any cutting or stitches involved. Once it is over, you will rest for a bit, and after that, you are free to go home the same day. A medical professional will explain the aftercare required.
Payment for egg donation
How much do you get paid to donate your eggs?
Vitalab pays their egg donors three days after egg retrieval. Vitalab plans to pay their egg donors a sum of R9000 as remuneration for the time, effort, and commitment given. An additional R1500 is planned to be provided by Vitalab for travel costs incurred.
How to apply?
Vitalab Egg Donor application process.
The most crucial step is the online application, as this determines whether or not you are a legible donor. The online application is easy; simply visit the Vitalab website and click on ‘Become a Donor’, which is the third option on the bar. Input your height and weight, and the site will calculate your BMI.
After that, you will be redirected to another page. Here, you need to register your information to create an account. Once that is done, confirm your email and wait for a response from Vitalab to determine whether you will be moving forward or not.
Most asked questions
Will it affect my fertility in the future?
- No, it will not. The procedure, medical evaluations, and medication will not hinder your ability to have children later on.
What happens to the embryos?
- Once the eggs have been harvested, you will have no role in the procedures that follow. From then, expecting families/egg recipients will go through an entirely different process. You will remain anonymous throughout.
How many times can I donate my eggs?
- Vitalab follows South African law, which permits six live births per donor. Should you be interested in donating again, Vitalab requires a 3-month waiting period during each donation.
More Information about Egg Donation at Vitalab
Final Thoughts
Vitalab is quite prestigious and has an excellent track record. The clinic currently has the following statistics: “The success rates for Vitalab’s Fresh Embryo Transfer using Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), with the patient’s oocytes, compiled from 2021 to 2023 and considering female age, are as follows:
- Overall success rate: 62%
- The success rate for females under the age of 35: 78%
- The success rate for females aged 35 to 39: 49%
- The success rate for females over the age of 40: 30% ”
- In short, they are reputable and reliable within the fertility field.
If you are thinking about donating your eggs for some quick cash, consider Vitalab as an option. Note that there are many other fertility clinics in South Africa, and you need to do independent research as well. Egg donation has made such a joyous impact on the lives of many families, and you have the power to make that impact.