In a world in which one in six couples face the challenge of infertility – the inability to achieve a pregnancy without medical assistance – In Vitro Fertilisation or IVF has become the standard fertility treatment for millions of couples.

Proven safe and highly effective over more than four decades, IVF treatment allows eggs to be fertilised with sperm outside of the body in a lab to form an embryo, which is then transferred to the uterus, where it will hopefully implant and become a pregnancy. As such, it provides effective treatment for numerous factors known to cause infertility in men and women.

Responsible for managing the care of the sperm, eggs and embryos in the IVF lab, embryologists are specialised fertility experts that are crucial to the success of any IVF treatment cycle and whose work is celebrated on World Embryologist Day each year.

What do embryologists at fertility clinics do?

Embryologists are scientists involved in fertility treatment and reproductive research. Highly qualified, embryologists hold either a master’s or doctorate degree, and they are the most important medical professionals involved with creating the embryos transferred during IVF.

They study sperm, eggs and embryos, and are the specialist laboratory staff who take care of human gametes and embryos in an optimal condition according to good laboratory practices.

Their primary tasks include determining the fertility levels of individuals; egg collection and processing; egg insemination; checking for fertilisation; monitoring embryo development; selecting the embryos for transfer; preservation of embryos, eggs and sperm; genetic testing; maintaining the laboratory’s optimum conditions; and managing sperm and egg banks.

Embryologists collect and care for the eggs and prepare them for insemination; assess, care for and prepare sperm samples; and mix eggs with sperm for fertilisation. They also perform very detailed and advanced procedures, such as selecting a single sperm to fertilise a single egg in procedure known as ICSI, short for intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Embryologists are also responsible for monitoring the resulting embryos as they develop for about five days before it is viable to transfer the embryos.

In addition to egg retrievals, fertilisation and embryo transfers, embryologists also perform or assist with vitrification or rapid freezing of eggs, sperm and embryos to preserve these for a future date. Embryologists will “grade” the embryos before placing them in frozen storage and are also responsible for thawing embryos, carefully monitoring the growth and development of the embryos before transfer.

Meet the embryologist team at our fertility clinic

Our patients undergoing IVF treatment are supported by a full IVF lab team, under the guidance of our Lab Director, Edolene Bosman, who directs and oversees all the operations, administration and technical aspects of the lab, as well as ensuring compliance with regulations, which requires advanced IVF and clinical laboratory knowledge and skills.

Supported by cutting-edge equipment and the latest technologies, our team of embryologists also keep our patients informed at every stage of the IVF lab process, by contacting our patients telephonically as soon as test results are in, for example, to report how many eggs have been fertilised, and after each examination to provide patients with an update on the embryo quality and to answer any questions they may have.

Edolene Bosman, Lab Director at Medfem Fertility Clinic, joined our IVF laboratory since it was first established in 1989

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After obtaining a MSc (1986) from The Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), Edolene registered as an Embryologist with the HPCSA after working as part of the IVF team at the Pretoria Academic Hospital. She broadened her knowledge and experience in Andrology after joining a routine pathology laboratory, and later established the Andrology Laboratory at Medfem Fertility Clinic, where she also assisted in launching the Medfem Fertility Clinic donor sperm bank in 1990.

Vicky Wolf is Medfem Fertility Clinic’s senior embryologist, with 18 years of experience in the field of IVF.

Vicky completed her B. Tech in Clinical Technology: Reproductive Biology in 2005 at the Central University of Technology and completed an internship at Medfem Fertility Clinic. She later held the positions of laboratory manager and training embryologist and during this time received her M. Tech degree in Clinical Technology: Reproductive Biology from Tswane University of Technology. Vicky also served as secretary on the Southern African Society of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endoscopy (SASREG).

Alma Janse van Rensburg is Head of Endocrinology/Andrology at Medfem Fertility Clinic.

She completed her Clinical Technologist and Biochemistry Diploma at Tygerberg Hospital Medical School in 1982. During this time, Alma worked in the isotope department of the Endocrinology Laboratory, and was part of the team that participated in projects with the IVF lab at Tygerberg Hospital.

Marlize Swanepoel has been part of Medfem Fertility Clinic’s embryologist team since 2017.

Marlize obtained her B.Sc. degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at Stellenbosch University, and passed her Honours Degree (Cum Laude) in Medical Sciences (Reproductive Biology) in 2012. She completed her Medical Biological Internship at Tygerberg Hospital and Aevitas Fertility Clinic and registered with the HPCSA as a Medical Scientist (Embryologist). In 2015 she obtained her M.Sc. Degree (Cum Laude) in Medical Sciences (Reproductive Biology) under the leadership of Dr Windt De Beer and Prof Kruger.

Monique Wheeler joined the Medfem Fertility Clinic embryologist team in 2021,

and enjoys every aspect of embryology, especially having the opportunity of changing people’s lives.
She obtained her BHSc degree in Human Genetics from the University of the Witwatersrand. In 2018, Monique was enrolled as a Medical Biological Scientist intern at Steve Biko Academic hospital where she completed her theoretical and practical training.

Robyn Leeke recently joined Medfem Fertility Clinic as an embryologist.

Robyn obtained her undergraduate (BSc Human Life Sciences) and postgraduate (BScHons Medical Physiology) degrees at Stellenbosch University in 2020. She went on to complete her Medical Biological Internship at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in 2022. Robyn enjoys interacting with patients and being a part of their journey to becoming a family.

Cathleen van Staden joined the Medfem Fertility Clinic team early in 2019 and is our Laboratory Administrator.

Normally the first friendly face the patients see, Cathleen is responsible for the frontline reception and for all general administrative lab duties including answering e-mails. With a reputation for being friendly and informed, and with a solid understanding of patient needs and requirements, Cathleen is an integral link of the IVF chain and well loved by patients and colleagues.

Swazi Hlatshwayo joined the Medfem Fertility Clinic team in 2018 as our General Lab Assistant.

Always ready to make a difference, Swazi takes care of all the patients’ needs, assists the lab receptionist and participates in lab duties. Our patients and our team always appreciate her friendly greetings and her warm personality.

Meet our embryologists in person at our fertility clinic!

Couples undergoing IVF treatment may not spend much face-to-face time with our embryologist team, but at Medfem Fertility Clinic, you can rest assured they are working hard in the lab to ensure the healthy development of your embryos!

At Medfem Fertility Clinic, we believe in making world-class fertility treatments available for everyone and it is our joy and commitment to give you a positive outcome to your fertility journey, so you will have a fond memory of feeling empathy, caring and being part of the Medfem Fertility Clinic family.

If you would like to find out more about completing your IVF journey with our expert team of embryologist on your side, simply click here to book an initial consultation or contact us telephonically on +27 (11) 463 2244.

Our Fertility Specialists can also meet with You During a Virtual Consultation Via Zoom or Skype. Click here to book a virtual consultation now.

We look forward to meeting you at Medfem Fertility Clinic!