Some of the world’s leading fertility experts will be taking part in Fertility Show Africa, the continent's first dedicated fertility show which takes place in Johannesburg on March 6 and 7 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Gauteng.
They will be participating in Expert Talks – a cutting-edge talks programme, sponsored by the Infertility Awareness Association of South Africa, on current and pertinent topics that impact the journey to parenthood – presented by fertility and medical professionals and adoption specialists.
Today, according to research, one in 60 babies in America are born thanks to in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and other artificial treatments. In Denmark, Israel and Japan the figure is more than one in 25 – and rising.
It is estimated that infertility in Africa affects one in six couples, which means that in Southern Africa alone there are eight million people who suffer from infertility. These include singles and same-sex couples as social norms change, and increasingly women who wish to postpone childbearing while they pursue a career and are therefore more likely to need help when they do eventually want to fall pregnant.
Says Heidi Warricker, CEO and organiser of Fertility Show Africa: “It is a first for South Africa to have all these world experts under one roof sharing their knowledge and expertise. A visit to IFAASA Expert Talks is a must for anyone currently on a fertility journey or planning a pregnancy soon. These speakers are currently the best minds in the fertility industry!”
The full list of speakers and the topics that they will be covering at IFAASA Expert Talks are:
Andrew Coutts
International Fertility Company
Coutts is the managing director of the International Fertility Company and editor at FertilityRoad.com and is one of the world’s leading experts on fertility travel. Legally trained, Coutts has visited more than 150 fertility treatment centres across the world and advises patients who are considering travelling for fertility treatment. With offices in London and New York and an international referral clinic in the UK, the International Fertility Company and Fertility Road have forged a partnership which has seen them manage fertility events across the UK, Ireland, the US, Australia and India.
Friday, March 6 at 13h30
Topic: What Makes A Good Clinic? Choosing the Right Fertility Clinic Abroad
Andrew Martin
Fertility Law
Andrew Martin, founder and director of Fertility Law and ConSign, is a practising attorney who works in the field of assisted reproduction and family law. Martin has gained extensive experience in drafting and negotiating surrogacy contracts (and bringing the necessary high court application), known egg, sperm and embryo donation contracts and advisory services to fertility clinics. Most recently, Fertility Law, under Martin’s guidance, became the first legal consultancy to offer clients the option of embryo and gamete disposition agreements. These agreements help to regulate what happens to clients’ embryos/gametes in the unfortunate event of death, divorce, separation, incapacitation or disagreements.
Friday, March 6 at 14h30
Topic: Legal Issues around Donor Cycles
Beatrice & Nicola Rabkin and Rona Mirimi
Hormonal Harmony
Beatrice Rabkin (BSc Nutritional Medicine, Dip. Pharm, FAE) is a nutritionist, fertility awareness educator and reproductive health coach with a passion to serve the health of future generations, starting with the eggs and sperm. Nicola Rabkin (BSocSci EGS, MCRP) is a social and environmental activist, cycle awareness coach and women's circle facilitator. Her personal experience with miscarriage started her path to building optimal fertile health for herself and others. Mirimi (BA in Communications; MA in Organisation) is a fertility awareness educator, reproductive health coach, and reusable eco menstrual solutions advocate. She began her journey with four miscarriages. This sparked her interest in fertility awareness and guiding women to make natural contraceptive choices.
Friday, March 6, at 14h00
Topic: Healthy lifestyle, diet and targeted supplements to optimise fertility
Dr. Christa North
GENEWAY™ and Supreme Fertility
Dr Christa North’s impressive qualifications include a BSc Dietetics (Cum Laude, NWU), Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics (UP), BSc Hon (Cum Laude, NWU), MSc Nutrition (Cum Laude, NWU) and PhD Nutrition (NWU). She started her career in London where she worked as a clinical dietitian and took care of radiotherapy patients in the Oldchurch Hospital. Upon her return to South Africa, North opened a private practice as a dietitian and managed that for 15 years until the opportunity to join GENEWAY™ and Supreme Fertility™ came along.
Saturday, March 7, at 15h50
Topic: Fertility and your DNA
Dr. Goolam Mohamed
Sandton Fertility Centre
Fertility specialist Dr. Goolam H Mohamed is chairman of the Sandton Fertility Centre. He earned his medical degree at King George’s Medical School in Lucknow, India in 1975 after which he obtained a master’s degree in obstetrics and gynaecology from the Medical University of Southern Africa (Medunsa). He has completed various courses around the world in infertility and assisted reproduction. Dr. Mohamed founded the Sandton Fertility Centre when he saw the need among people, both within and beyond South Africa’s borders, having difficulty conceiving. This includes the latest technology used to treat male infertility and couples where one partner is HIV positive.
Saturday, March 7, at 11h30
Topic: Female infertility: PCOS
Greg Tinney-Crook
Aevitas
Greg Tinney-Crook is the laboratory director at Aevitas Fertility Clinic in Cape Town, recognised as a continent leader in the field of fertility where he heads up a vibrant team of world-class embryologists. As Aevitas serves as training unit for Stellenbosch University, he is also closely involved in training student embryologists in the science and skills of the fertility laboratory. Furthermore, he heads up a satellite clinic in Windhoek, Namibia, acting as pioneer in the field of fertility treatment in this region.
Saturday, March 7, at 13h50
Topic: Embryo and Sperm Selection
Dr. Jack Biko
Femicare Fertility Clinic
Dr. Jack Biko, a reproductive medicine specialist, is the director of Femicare Fertility Clinic and a part-time lecturer at Steve Biko Hospital and Pretoria University. He received his training at Wits, Pretoria University, the college of Medicine of South Africa (Medunsa) and the University of Valencia. He is a member of the team that recently completed the national South African fertility guidelines. He is also an advanced endoscopic and endometriosis surgeon.
Saturday, March 7, at 13h10
Topic: Male Infertility
Mandy Rodrigues
Clinical psychologist in private practice
Renowned clinical psychologist Mandy Rodrigues has worked in the field of infertility for the past 24 years. This includes working with individuals, couples and groups, helping them cope with the fertility journey and assist them with making life-changing decisions. A large part of her practice involves stress management and the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to infertility. Rodrigues has presented and published various books and articles on the subject.
Friday, March 6, at 16h00
Topic: Dealing with Pregnancy/Infant Loss
Moletelo Mainetje-Bossman
IFAASA
Multiple international award-winning filmmaker and entrepreneur, Molatelo Mainetje-Bossman has spoken out about her infertility through her documentary film When Babies Don’t Come where she documents her 10-year struggle with infertility. Through the film, Mainetje-Bossman has not only inspired many people but has also given a voice to many men and women with the same condition. Mainetje-Bossman was appointed one of the directors of Infertility Awareness Association of South Africa (IFAASA) in 2018.
Saturday, March 7, at 13h00
Topic: Infertility in the African Culture
Nicola Smuts-Allsop
Fertility astrology
Nicola Smuts-Allsop is a consulting astrologer living in the UK. Originally from South Africa, she completed her first studies at the Rod Suskin School of Astrology in Cape Town and completed a diploma in medieval astrology with Astro Logos (Bernadette Brady) in the UK. Smuts-Allsop recently graduated from Canterbury Christ Church University, with a master’s degree in myth, cosmology and the sacred. Author of the newly published Fertility Astrology, A Modern Medieval Textbook, she has specialised in this field and has undergone fertility treatment herself. She lectures internationally on her fertility work.
Saturday, March 7, at 14h30
Topic: Fertility Astrology
Dr. Olufemi Olarogun
Specialist: obstetrics and gynaecology, reproductive medicine and infertility.
Dr. Olufeni Olarogun is well-known in Cape Town for his years of work and commitment to reproductive medicine in both the private and public health sectors. He retains a keen interest in endoscopic surgery as well as academic medicine. After studying medicine in Nigeria, Dr. Olarogun qualified as an obstetrician/gynaecologist at the University of Cape Town in 2000. He continued his sub-specialisation at the university, working at Groote Schuur Hospital until 2007 when he left to enter full-time private practice. His work has also taken him further afield to New Zealand and Namibia. In South Africa, he ran his own private IVF unit at the UCT Private Hospital. He continues to head one of the gynaecologist firms at Groote Schuur Hospital.
Saturday, March 7, at 14h10
Topic: Egg Freezing & Oncofertility
Professor Patrick Bouic
Synexa
Professor Patrick Bouic trained as an immunopathologist in France and graduated with his PhD from the University of Claude Bernard, Lyon. He has been a board-certified immunologist with the HPCSA since 1994 and has been with the University of Stellenbosch Medical faculty since 1984 in the division of pathology. He started the private company Synexa Life Sciences in Cape Town in 2002 where he is one of the founding directors, and serves as Chief Scientific Officer. Currently the company has its headquarters in Cape Town but also has a laboratory in London and will soon open a new facility in Berlin, Germany. These laboratories provide biomarker support services in Europe for large pharma companies as well as the smaller biotechnology groups. Prof. Bouic was personally involved in the development of a natural immune supportive supplement (ModucareTM) which was launched in the South African market in 2000 which is currently sold globally. He co-authored a book entitled The Immune System Cure with Lorna van den Haege which received the Gold Medal for two years running as best seller by the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA). The book outlines natural remedies which can be used to manage chronic diseases as well as those used to prevent immune conditions.
Saturday, March 7, at 11h50
Topic: Immunology: your best chance of success?
Robynne Friedman
Surrogacy attorney
Robynne Friedman is a mother through surrogacy. She has her own law firm specialising solely in surrogacy and fertility law matters.
Saturday, March 7, at 15h10
Topic: Surrogacy: The legalities involved
Samala Kriedemann
Mama Nurture
Samala Kriedemann is a qualified social worker and the owner of Mama Nurture. She is also an internationally accredited birth, bereavement and adoption doula with SBD (StillBirthDay) University and a member of PLIDA (The Pregnancy Loss and Infant Death Alliance). Kriedemann is a trained traumatic incident reduction therapist and offers counselling to mothers going through the heart-breaking journey of grief. She also offers birth debriefing for any mother who has experienced a traumatic birth. In addition, she is a member of PATCH SA (Palliative Treatment for Children South Africa).
Friday, March 6, at 15h30
Topic: Baby Loss Support
Dr. Sulaiman Heylen
SASREG President
Dr. Heylen qualified as a medical doctor (summa cum laude) and as a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Leuven in Belgium. He obtained the gynaecological endoscopist certificate, with distinction, from the European Academy of Gynaecological surgery. He is an EHSRE certified master reproductive endoscopic surgeon and a specialist in reproductive endoscopic surgery and reproductive medicine. Dr. Heylen is President of SASREG and has published in both local and international fertility journals and contributed to chapters in books.
Saturday, March 7, at 10h00
Topic: How to enhance your fertility naturally
Tertia Albertyn
Nurture
Tertia Albertyn is co-founder of Nurture Egg Donation Programme. An accomplished speaker and published author, as well as an ex-infertility patient herself, Albertyn is known across South Africa and internationally for the work she does in infertility. She has an MBA from the University of Cape Town and lives in Cape Town with her husband and three children.
Saturday, March 7, at 14h50
Topic: Egg Donor Cycles - the process and role of an Agency
Dr. Tony Rodrigues
MEDFEM Fertility Clinic
Dr. Rodrigues completed his undergraduate and post graduate degrees at the University of the Witwatersrand. He entered private practice specialising in assisted reproduction and minimally invasive surgery in 1990. He co-developed Medfem Clinic in 1991 and is a director of Medfem Fertility Clinic. He has an MBA from Henley London. He co-authored the book Faster Better Sicker - Time-Urgency Perfectionism Stress. He co-developed Staminogro, a natural product for fertility and general health. He has a special interest in time-urgency perfectionism stress and its influence on fertility. He also co-developed an online self-help interactive stress management programme, www.tups.co and has published internationally and co-authored chapters in books in the fields of hyperinsulinism in male fertility and stress and its role in infertility.
Saturday, March 7, at 10h40
Topic: Natural cycles and mild IVF
Dr. Yossi Unterslak
Vitalab
Dr. Yossi Unterslak completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and went on to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of the Witwatersrand. He has a passion for reproductive medicine and endocrinology with a special interest in ovarian stimulation. Dr Unterslak recently completed his Master of Medicine during which he extensively looked at the prevention of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). He has a special interest in the prevention of recurrent pregnancy loss.
Friday, March 6, at 15h00
Topic: Recurring Pregnancy Loss - the Superfertile Uterus
Dr Yusuf Dasoo
BioART/LifeART
Dr Yusuf Dasoo graduated with his MBBCh in 1988 from the University of Witwatersrand. He then commenced his internship at Baragwanath Hospital where he began laying a solid foundation in obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G). Due to his special interest in infertility, he then went on to achieve his Master of Science (MSc) in Reproductive Physiology from Stellenbosch University in 2005. Dr Dasoo forms part of a very small number of doctors in South Africa that have specialised in fertility and HIV/Aids research. As a respected fertility specialist, Dr Dasoo, together with Dr Cassim, currently heads up BioART Fertility Centre, a hi-tech, world-class fertility centre in Saxonwold.
Saturday, March 7, at 11h10
Topic: Female infertility: Endometriosis
Zoë Cohen
Social worker in private practice
Zoë Cohen has a BA Honours in Social Work and specialises in providing adoption and related services, both locally and internationally. Cohen has been involved in the field of adoption for more than 20 years. She is a specialist in adoption, infertility, grief, statutory and family preservation, surrogacy, forensic and other legal issues. Cohen has worked in private practice and for a number of social development and child protection organisations.
Saturday, March 7, at 15h30
Topic: Adoption in South Africa
Dr. Zozo Nene
Head: Reproductive & Endocrine Unit - Steve Biko Academic Hospital
Dr. Zozo Nene is a reproductive medicine specialist and an obstetrician and gynaecologist. She is Head of the Reproductive and Endocrine Unit at Steve Biko Academic Hospital and the University of Pretoria. She has qualifications from the College of Medicine of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FCOG and Cert in Reprod Medicine) and a MMed in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from the University of Pretoria. She presently chairs the reproductive medicine sub-specialist committee at the College of Medicine of South Africa. She is a South African representative of WHO-FIGO collaboration on contraception and has given presentations for the WHO in that capacity. She participated in the WHO and Partners Stakeholders' Technical Consultation meeting on Hormonal contraception and HIV. She is part of the National Department of Health’s technical expert advisory team on contraception and infertility. Dr. Nene is lead author of the SA National guidelines of safe conception and infertility.
Friday March 6 at 13h00
Topic: Transgender Care: Reproductive options
The Fertility Show Africa takes place on Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7, 2020 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng. Show times are Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturday from 9am to 5pm.
Entry tickets are available at Webtickets at R195 a person or R350 for two people. A two-day entry pass is R315 (single) or R565 per couple. The expert talks and support sessions cost R50. To book, go to: https://www.webtickets.co.za/EventCategories.aspx?itemid=1495566920.
FSA is proudly supported by IFAASA (Infertility Awareness Association of South Africa) and SASREG (South African Society for Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endoscopy).
Learn more at www.fertilityshowafrica.co.za.
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