Vitalab Fertility Clinic

25/08/2026

Once embryos reach the blastocyst stage during an IVF cycle, patients may be faced with decisions about embryo biopsy, genetic testing and freezing.

While the clinical process can feel complex, there is another important aspect to understand: the costs involved in this stage of treatment.

If you have several embryos suitable for biopsy, the number you choose to test can have a significant impact on the overall cost. Understanding the different services and the options available can help you make an informed decision together with your fertility and embryology team.

25/08/2026

Once embryos reach the blastocyst stage during an IVF cycle, patients may be faced with decisions about embryo biopsy, genetic testing and freezing.

While the clinical process can feel complex, there is another important aspect to understand: the costs involved in this stage of treatment.

If you have several embryos suitable for biopsy, the number you choose to test can have a significant impact on the overall cost. Understanding the different services and the options available can help you make an informed decision together with your fertility and embryology team.

Understand the costs of embryo biopsy, genetic testing and freezing during IVF, including your options for testing, storing and freezing embryos.

25/08/2026

Some stories bring the meaning of our work beautifully full circle. 💙
On Friday, 21 August, Jeremy Gobetz - son of Dr Lawrence Gobetz - visited Vitalab Sandton.

He brought a deeply moving message of gratitude from himself and his wife, Lindy, thanking Dr Yossi, Anne, Dr Lawrence and the entire Vitalab family for the care, compassion and hope that accompanied them on their journey to becoming parents to their beautiful son, Jesse.
For Jeremy, the moment carried an especially meaningful layer. He grew up watching his father and the Vitalab team help people build their families. Years later, he and Lindy experienced that same dedication and support from the other side of the consultation room.

Their words touched us deeply:
“𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐭. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠.”

Jeremy and Lindy, thank you for sharing your beautiful family story with us, for your heartfelt card and for spoiling the team. It was a privilege to walk beside you, and a joy to celebrate Jesse with you.
With love from the Vitalab Sandton family. 💙

Meet our fertility specialists:
https://vitalab.com/our-fertility-doctors/

21/08/2026

This past Saturday, Dr Skye de Jongh represented Vitalab at the Mother & Baby Symposium in Hillcrest, bringing her expertise in fertility care to a room of healthcare professionals focused on precision, prevention and progress in obstetrics and gynaecology.

Dr Skye presented on “Optimising Patients with Infertility to Get the Best Outcomes”, highlighting the importance of thoughtful, individualised assessment and appropriate fertility care when supporting patients on their journey.

Thank you to Medical Events and the organisers for creating a platform for meaningful clinical learning and collaboration.


www.vitalab.com

21/08/2026

Workplace heroes in training.

On Tuesday, our Vitalab KZN nursing team and doctors took part in a Basic Life Support (BLS) course with Ampath.

Because in healthcare, being prepared for an emergency is just as important as the care we provide every day.

The team worked through practical BLS scenarios, strengthening their skills and confidence in responding when every second matters.

It’s about more than completing a course. It’s about being ready to step up, work together and provide the safest possible care to our patients.

Keeping skills sharp. Keeping patients safe. Keeping hearts beating.


www.vitalab.com

14/08/2026

Understanding the costs of embryo genetic testing

When embryos are biopsied for genetic testing, there are three separate costs to consider:

• Embryo biopsy
• Genetic testing
• Embryo freezing

The total cost will depend on the number of embryos involved.

For example, you may have some embryos biopsied and genetically tested immediately, while other suitable embryos are biopsied and frozen, with their samples amplified and stored for possible testing at a later stage. This means you would not pay the genetic testing cost for those embryos immediately.

Alternatively, some embryos may simply be frozen without genetic testing.

Your embryologist will discuss the available options with you so that you understand the costs involved and can make an informed decision about your treatment.



www.vitalab.com

12/08/2026

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.

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

11/08/2026

A little appreciation - for Women's Day

From our doctors and nurses to our embryology, theatre, administrative, coordination and support teams - each person plays an important part in the care our patients receive.

So, this year, we kept it simple: a box of Lindt chocolates, a few smiles, and a genuine thank you.

Thank you for the knowledge you bring.
Thank you for the care you give.
Thank you for the countless things you do behind the scenes that patients may never see.

To the women of Vitalab Sandton - we appreciate you.



www.vitalab.com

09/08/2026

Women's Day is more than a celebration. It's a reminder of the women who fought for the freedoms so many of us enjoy today.

From the historic Women's March on 9 August 1956 to the ongoing fight for equality, dignity and choice, women have always shown extraordinary courage.

At Vitalab, we believe that 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲. Every journey is different, and every woman deserves compassion, respect and support along the way.

Today, we honour the women who came before us, the women creating change today, and every woman writing her own story.


www.vitalab.com

Happy Women's Day from all of us at Vitalab. 💙

07/08/2026

In this insightful video, Dr. Gobetz breaks down the incredible journey of fertilisation—from the o***y releasing an egg to the fallopian tube nurturing the embryo for 4-5 days before it implants in the uterus.

In this insightful video, Dr. Gobetz breaks down the incredible jou...