Blog
May 27, 2019
Q&A with Yolandi Rademeyer Prenatal Dietitian We sat down with Yolandi Rademeyer of Sol Births we asked her to explain why food, nutraceuticals (medical grade nutrients / supplements) and hormonal health are vital for women’s overall health and fertility. Nutrition is not her only area of expertise; Yolandi is a […]
April 23, 2019
How Egg Quality Affects Fertility While it is true that age commonly determines ovarian and egg health. However, based on Scientific evidence, many lifestyle factors can have a significant impact on the health of the ovaries and eggs, such as environmental influences, hormonal changes in the body, stress. We also […]
February 21, 2019
What is BMI and why is it so important when it comes to donating eggs? Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. BMI is calculated by dividing your height (in centimetres) by your weight (in […]
February 18, 2019
Why Egg Donation Is Truly A Sisterhood of Grace – 11 There are many women who struggle to conceive because of reproductive health issues. One of the options they can turn to for conception is seeking the help of an egg donor. We recently sat down with Embryologists and Director […]
January 31, 2019
Why Egg Donation Is Truly A Sisterhood of Grace There are many women who struggle to conceive because of reproductive health issues. One of the options they can turn to for conception is seeking the help of an egg donor. We sat down with Embryologist and Director of HART Fertility […]
October 22, 2018
What is testicular cancer? Men with testicular cancer may experience a variety of symptoms. Usually, an enlarged testicle or a small lump or area of hardness are the first signs of testicular cancer. If you find a lump, enlargement, hardness, pain, or tenderness, it is very important that you immediately […]
October 12, 2018
Breast Cancer & Fertility Infertility is commonly defined by our esteemed Fertility Specialists as the inability of a couple to conceive naturally after having tried for at least a year. Most people in this world will think about having children at some point in their lives. And although, not everybody […]
September 26, 2018
Oncofertility – Cervical Cancer Oncofertility \ ˌäŋ-kō-fər-ˈtil-ə-tē \ noun A field of medicine concerned with minimizing the negative effects of cancer treatment (such as chemotherapy or radiation) on the reproductive system and fertility and with assisting individuals with reproductive impairments resulting from cancer therapy. Oncofertility procedures may include collecting and […]
September 10, 2018
“Because of advances in medicine, we’re able to have families, that are biologically ours, and many people think that because we’re gay, we’re infertile. We’re actually not infertile… Our process of having children is a little bit different than others, but our children are real human beings, they are sacred […]
August 22, 2018
The Emotional Impact of Male Infertility The focus of infertility usually lies solely with women; the issues surrounding infertility, the stress of being unable to bear children, the trauma and devastation when a woman suffers from miscarriages. The emphasis always seems to be placed on women. However, we tend to […]
August 3, 2018
There are many reasons why a couple may be struggling with infertility. Research has shown that: 30% the cause of infertility is found to be the woman 30% the cause of infertility is found to be the man 30% the cause of infertility is found to be both male and […]
July 30, 2018
“IVF, or In Vitro Fertilisation, is a procedure used to overcome a range of fertility issues. It sees the egg and sperm joined together outside the body in our specialised laboratory.” ~ Kimenthra Raja – Director of HART Fertility Clinic & Head Embryologist At DESA, we constantly strive to […]
July 18, 2018
Approximately 1 out of every 6 couples struggle with infertility. Many times the root cause of infertility is difficult to pinpoint, and this can be a very traumatic truth for couples who desperately want a baby and who simply cannot conceive naturally. There are many causes of infertility. Research has […]
June 11, 2018
Although we have already blogged about the laws surrounding egg donation in South Africa before, we feel that it is very important to reiterate how important this is, for anyone considering donating their eggs. Egg donation can be a very daunting thought at first, but we at DESA dedicate […]
June 2, 2018
Following on from last week’s PART ONE, we continue the sequence of Ovulatory & Luteal Yoga. This sequence is the third sequence in Fertility Yoga cycle, and is designed to be the more delicate phase of your cycle. For many women, on the journey to conception and ovulation, there […]
June 2, 2018
This sequence is the third sequence in Fertility Yoga cycle, and is designed to be the more delicate phase of your cycle. For many women, on the journey to conception and ovulation, there is a lot of anxiety and stress, hormonally and emotionally. This sequence aims to reduce stress and […]
May 19, 2018
Jeanne Freed is our clinical social worker who takes our prospective donors through, what is called a psychosocial assessment, during the egg donor application. Jeanne conducts psychological evaluations of potential egg and sperm donors in terms of emotional and psychological suitability, and their ability to fulfil all the relevant requirements […]
May 6, 2018
Dr Lulu Beyers is a registered Doctor of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture). She has been a Natural Health practitioner for over 15 years and holds degrees in both Natural Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Dr Beyers specializes in treating infertility, reproductive/hormonal disorders and imbalances relating to the nervous […]
April 25, 2018
Kinny Ramoeng is DESA’s Egg Donation Coordinator and Supervisor. After seven years with South Africa’s most experienced agency, Kinny works to support infertility patients. As a consummate professional, she balances her care for the egg donor, ensuring the best chance of success for recipients undergoing treatment. Kinny takes time to […]
April 7, 2018
Epigenetics is a branch of science that’s increasingly relevant to pregnancies. Especially, IVF pregnancies, where recipients are using donor eggs or sperm. Epigenetics looks at how lifestyle factors can affect your baby’s genes. The gene sequence itself cannot be changed. But according to research this sequence can alter the way […]
March 24, 2018
Follicular Phase – Post Menstruation Following on from last week’s Part One of my Follicular Phase (Post Menstruation) blog, we carry on with the poses for this phase. To recap: The Follicular phase starts post menstruation cycle, leading up to ovulation. This phase benefits most from postures that support the […]
March 17, 2018
Follicular Phase – Post Menstruation The Follicular phase starts post menstruation cycle, leading up to ovulation. This phase benefits most from postures that support the ovaries to release high quality eggs. This phase also benefits from poses that encourage the development of a thick endometrial lining. We use poses that […]
March 11, 2018
This week is Endometriosis Awareness Week and we at DESA feel it is very important to raise awareness about a serious and often unrecognized condition. What Is Endometriosis? Endometriosis affects 50% of women worldwide, and is one of the leading culprits of infertility. Endometriosis comes from the word Endometrium, which […]
February 24, 2018
During this practice its vital that you give yourself 100% permission to let go and allow any feelings to surface. This is a great time to have a good cry (tears are full of cortisol) and to honour the journey of your cycle and your journey. When we cry, we […]
February 17, 2018
As a yoga teacher, I can see unlimited benefits of doing yoga. I often hear my clients mirroring online discussions about not being flexible enough to reap the rewards of yoga. This is not what yoga is about. The word yoga (yoke) means union. Yoga is the union of the […]
February 9, 2018
Sexual health is an important part of our health yet is something that is often neglected, perhaps out of embarrassment and fear about the process of diagnosis and treatment. Many put all the emphasis on testing for HIV, but then completely neglect to test for other STIs (sexually transmitted infections) […]
February 2, 2018
In this cluttered, fast-paced and digitally-minded time where positivity often takes a backseat to the negativity we hear and are presented with on a daily basis, we all tend to ask why kindness truly matters. In this day and age, people hide behind smartphones trolling, degrading, hurting and body-shaming others […]
January 27, 2018
Donating eggs is a profoundly selfless act, and one that will forever change another family’s life. We at DESA dedicate our lives to finding the perfect donors for our recipients; although that is only one part of what we do. We are dedicated to forging and fostering our relationship with […]
January 20, 2018
Donating eggs, so that others can become parents, is a life-changing opportunity for both the donor and a potential recipient. It is a true gift of life and it is decision that only a handful of healthy, fertile women between the ages of 19-32 have the unique opportunity to make. […]
January 12, 2018
For most of us, this week marks the official week back to the everyday slog that is (as Rihanna puts it “WERK, Werk, werk”! School is back, reality hits us at full force, and now, there is nothing to look forward to again until maybe Easter! And, let’s face it, […]
January 4, 2018
So here we are, in the first week of 2018 – the Christmas and New Year Eve celebrations a not so distant blur – and there seems to be a permanent unwelcome guest known as muffin-top following us around like a shadow! As is done every January, new year resolutions […]
December 29, 2017
Due to the popularity of all things Mind-Body-Soul as the new year approaches, we decided to share some more of our tips from our Festive Season survival kit that will assist with boosting your natural health practice, mindfulness and nutrition; which are three of the most powerful tools we have […]
December 22, 2017
This time of year is fraught with stress, overeating, over-drinking, last minute shopping mayhem and those pesky family feuds resurfacing on Christmas day. We are all frazzled after a difficult and busy year, guilt and self-sabotage are rife after our twenty end of year functions and we just can’t […]
December 16, 2017
This time of year is fraught with stress, overeating, over-drinking, last minute shopping mayhem and those pesky family feuds resurfacing on Christmas day. We are all frazzled after a difficult and busy year, guilt and self-sabotage are rife after our twenty end of year functions and we just can’t muster […]
December 9, 2017
Christmas is meant to be the highlight of the year, but for some, it really isn’t. We are inundated with media images of love, joy, togetherness, that highlights what life “should” be about, but for most really isn’t. And in truth, the year-end brings on a huge amount of stress; […]
December 2, 2017
As a potential egg donor, you have the opportunity to help an infertile couple fulfill their dream of starting their own family. But do you understand why donor eggs are sometimes the only option for some women? And why YOU as an egg donor are so important? Before we […]
November 24, 2017
You may be wondering why on earth this week’s images across our Social Media platforms have been in dedication to the pineapple? Not only has pineapple art taken Social Media by storm, with almost anyone posting images of their idyllic getaways with a random pineapple poking out somewhere in […]
November 17, 2017
The dictionary definition for Kindness is: A kind act, a good deed, a good turn, a favour, an act of assistance. And really, when looking at what kindness means, it’s actually a rather simple deed. And most kind deeds are free! So why are random acts of kindness so […]
November 10, 2017
Considering egg donation can be a very daunting thought at first, but we at DESA dedicate ourselves to educating and assisting prospective donors, such as yourselves, to understand the processes involved; the importance, not only of donating eggs, but also the importance of understanding the law surrounding egg donation. […]
November 3, 2017
Have you ever been curious about donating your eggs? Or are you already convinced about becoming an egg donor? We would really love to take this opportunity to share with you why our beloved recipients desperately need egg donor angels like yourself. What Actually Causes Infertility? There are a […]
September 13, 2017
Would you consider donating eggs to another woman? Read on to find out more about the process, and why it might just be an experience worth having. Having a baby is one of life’s most precious gifts, but for a lot of people, infertility and other health issues are a […]