Infertility rates are on the rise globally, with an estimated 15% to 20% of South African couples – up to one in five – experiencing difficulties conceiving. In SA, access to advanced reproductive health services remains limited for many, further exacerbating the challenges faced by individuals and couples longing to start a family.
Recognising this growing need, Next Biosciences, a leader in reproductive health, has expanded its offering to empower women and couples across the country. The expanded portfolio now includes carrier screening, endometrial health testing and its cutting-edge fetal sex test, MiniMi, among other advanced solutions.
Ashleigh Bouguenon, Head of Reproductive Health at Next Biosciences, emphasises the growing impact of infertility.
“Infertility is no longer a personal struggle faced in silence – women and couples around the globe are finding their voice and having open discussions around this significant health issue. Our goal is to make these services both accessible and affordable; while giving women the tools and support they need to take ownership of their reproductive health.”
The rising demand for fertility treatments is part of a broader worldwide trend. The global FemTech market, which focuses on women’s health, was valued at USD 39.29 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach a staggering $97.25 billion by 2030. Solutions in the fertility space represent a significant portion of this growth, with the fertility services market expected to nearly double to USD 41.4 billion by 2026.
Bouguenon says technological advancements in the FemTech sector have made it possible to offer novel solutions that were unheard of a decade ago. “For example, Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT), which was not available in the country 10 years ago, has now become a cornerstone of prenatal care. It has also reduced the need for more invasive procedures, providing safer alternatives for women during pregnancy.”
“This advancement, along with others, underscores the critical role of early intervention in fertility care. During Reproductive Health Month this February, the focus is on empowering individuals to help them make informed decisions about their reproductive health. With fertility treatments like In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) often costing tens of thousands of rands, our offerings present an affordable solution to enhance treatment outcomes while minimising unnecessary expenses. This is especially vital in South Africa, where affordability and access continue to pose significant challenges for many couples.”
Next Biosciences is also working with government agencies and medical aids to advocate for broader coverage and reimbursement of reproductive health services.
“Access to reproductive healthcare shouldn’t be a privilege,” says Bouguenon. “By working with medical aids and offering payment plans, we aim to ensure that no one has to forego these life-changing services due to financial constraints.”
Next Biosciences offers a suite of advanced reproductive health services, supporting individuals at every stage of their reproductive journey – from pre-conception to birth. These include:
- Carrier Screening: A pre-conception genetic test to assess the risk of passing on genetic conditions to your child.
- Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT): Used during IVF to screen embryos for chromosomal abnormalities and genetic variations.
- Endometrial Health Testing: Evaluates the uterine lining’s readiness to support embryo implantation.
- MiniMi: An in-house developed test that allows for the determination of the fetal gender from as early as 10 weeks.
- Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT): Introduced locally by Next Biosciences, this test has revolutionised prenatal care by offering a safe and accurate method to detect chromosomal abnormalities as early as 10 weeks into pregnancy, reducing the need for invasive procedures.
- POCScreen: A genetic test for examining miscarriage tissue to better understand chromosomal abnormalities that could have caused the loss, to ultimately provide reproductive counselling to couples.
- Netcells Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Banking: Offers parents the opportunity to store their baby’s cord blood and cord tissue stem cells for potential future medical use.
Launched in 2021, Next Biosciences’ Netcells Community Stem Cell Bank allows families to store their child’s stem cells, while also contributing to the South African Bone Marrow Registry’s (SABMR) national donor pool. Furthermore, the company’s Families of Hope programme enables disadvantaged families, with a child in need of a bone marrow stem cell transplant, whose mother is expecting a biological sibling, to collect and store stem cells at no cost. This can be used to treat life-threatening conditions, such as leukaemia, aplastic and Fanconi’s anaemia, sickle-cell disease, thalassemia or other diseases treatable with stem cell transplants.
Bouguenon also highlights the importance of addressing the broader implications of infertility.
“The goal is to encourage open conversations about reproductive health, break down the stigma surrounding it and ensure that everyone has access to the resources needed to start a family.”