Vitalab Fertility Clinic

12/02/2026

Healthy Lifestyle Awareness Month

“As a fertility nurse, I truly believe prevention and early intervention can change your outcome, so do not delay your check-ups. The awareness you build today, will protect your tomorrow.”
-Sr Frances O’Brien

Reproductive health is not only about treatment- it’s about timing, knowledge and proactive care.

Many fertility challenges are easier to manage when identified early. Routine check-ups, hormone assessments and simple investigations can provide clarity and guidance long before problems become more complex.

If you’ve been postponing an appointment, consider this your gentle reminder.

Looking after your health today supports your options for tomorrow.

Arrive as a Patient. Leave as a Parent.



www.vitalab.com

11/02/2026

February: Healthy Lifestyle Awareness

✨ One Healthy Habit I Swear By✨

Sr Coenette Williamson shares:

“Fun fuels balance, balance supports fertility.”

“In a high-pressure world, it’s easy to treat enjoyment as something optional. I’ve learned that intentionally doing something fun - regularly - helps reduce my stress levels.

And lower stress supports healthier hormone balance, which plays an important role in overall wellbeing and fertility.”

We often focus on diet, supplements and treatment plans - and those matter. But emotional health and stress management are just as important.

This February, we’re highlighting simple, sustainable habits that support long-term health.

Sometimes, caring for your fertility begins with caring for yourself.


Arrive as a Patient. Leave as a Parent.

www.vitalab.com

10/02/2026

☕ Coffee, Fertility & Conscious Choices

February is Reproductive Health Month in South Africa, and it also shines a spotlight on healthy lifestyle habits that support long-term reproductive wellbeing — for both women and men.

This week, Dr Ockie van Schalkwyk shares a simple but often overlooked habit that may influence fertility: caffeine intake.

We’re South Africans — coffee is part of our culture. Even our doctors love it.
But when caffeine intake goes above 200mg per day (about two cups of coffee), research shows it may negatively affect:

• Ovulation and embryo implantation
• Hormonal balance
• S***m quality and semen parameters

What’s important to remember is timing.
Eggs and s***m take 2–3 months to respond to lifestyle changes — so adjustments need patience.

If you’re trying to conceive or planning ahead, reducing caffeine (or switching to decaf for now) is one of those small, evidence-based changes that can support reproductive health — without extremes or pressure.

Reproductive health isn’t just about treatment.
It’s also about the everyday choices that quietly add up. 🤍



www.vitalab.com

07/02/2026

This is the Vitalab KZN team.

Experienced clinicians. Thoughtful care. And a shared commitment to walking alongside you through every step of your fertility journey.


www.vitalab.com

07/02/2026

Behind every scan, test, and treatment plan is a team that sees you - not just your file.


www.vitalab.com

05/02/2026

Creating space for the conversations that matter

Dr Lisa Spark is one of our doctors at Vitalab Johannesburg, with a background in doula support and antenatal education.

This year, we’re expanding our Vitalab Support Groups — because fertility care is about more than appointments, scans, and results. It’s also about lifestyle, emotional wellbeing, and feeling less alone.

🗓 First online support group:
25 February | 7:00pm
Theme: Healthy lifestyle awareness

We’ll be gently exploring:
• Nutrition
• Movement
• Sleep
• Emotional wellbeing
• Stress reduction

And creating a safe, respectful space to ask questions or share—at whatever level feels right for you.

💻 The session is online and not recorded by Vitalab.
You’re welcome to change your name or profile if that helps you feel more comfortable participating.

Because fertility is not only clinical — it’s deeply human.

register here:
https://vitalab.com/fertility-support-group-at-vitalab/



https://vitalab.com/fertility-support-group-at-vitalab/

02/02/2026

We’re delighted to welcome Dr Ockie van Schalkwyk, Gynaecologist, to the Vitalab Sandton team.

With over 10 years’ experience in fertility care — and as a parent of three children born through fertility treatment — Dr Ockie understands firsthand that fertility is a journey filled with both hope and challenges. That personal experience shapes the empathy, patience, and care he brings to every patient.

Dr Ockie holds a Master’s degree in Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, with clinical interests in ovulation induction, IUI, IVF & ICSI, and minimally invasive surgery.

At Vitalab, fertility care is about people, not just protocols — and Dr Ockie embodies that belief.

📍 Vitalab Sandton | South Africa
💛 Arrive as a patient. Leave as a parent.
👉 www.vitalab.com

https://youtu.be/wviFtEIvb5Q

28/01/2026

Eggs or embryos?
It’s one of the most important fertility decisions you’ll ever make — and one that deserves clarity, not assumptions.

In this video, Dr Picton breaks down a question she’s asked every week:
👉 Should I freeze eggs, or should I freeze embryos?

The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all.

It depends on where you are in life, your relationship status, and- critically-how much certainty versus flexibility you want for your future.

This conversation touches on:

Fertility autonomy

Legal and ethical realities

What happens if circumstances change

How to protect your future options, not just today’s plans

If you’re single, partnered, married, or simply thinking ahead, this is a video worth watching before you make any decisions.

Because fertility preservation isn’t just about storing cells - it’s about safeguarding choice.

📩 If you have questions after watching, our team is here to guide you through them, carefully and honestly.



www.vitalab.com

21/01/2026

Information on Mosaic Embryos

Aneuploid (abnormal chromosome number) embryos arise because of uneven separation of chromosomes during the formation of gametes (eggs or s***m).

This process affects eggs more than s***m and is the reason that increasing female age is associated with reduction in pregnancy rates, higher miscarriage rates and increased risk of survivable genetic syndromes.



Read more:

Mosaic embryos contain a mix of normal and abnormal chromosome number, in a single embryo (Euploid / Aneuploid Mosaics).

15/01/2026

Many patients assume that frozen embryos can automatically be used by the surviving partner if one person passes away or becomes mentally incapacitated. In reality, this assumption is incorrect.

Legally, frozen embryos are viewed as a separate entity. They are not covered by a general will, nor are they automatically included under marriage in or out of community of property.

Without clear written consent from both parties, fertility clinics are legally prohibited from proceeding with treatment using those embryos.



www.vitalab.com

15/01/2026

Why an Embryo Disposition Form Is Essential for Fertility Patients in South Africa

When undergoing fertility treatment, most couples focus on the present: cycles, transfers, success rates, and outcomes. Very few stop to consider a difficult but crucial question:

What happens to your frozen embryos if something happens to you or your partner?

According to Dr Anthony Picton, this is one of the most misunderstood -and legally complex -aspects of fertility care.

Frozen embryos are not automatically protected by a will. Learn why an embryo disposition form is essential for fertility patients