Application of EU Tissue and Cell Directive screening protocols to anonymous oocyte donors in western Ukraine: Data from an Irish IVF programme

Abstract

Anonymous oocyte donation in the EU proceeds only after rigorous screening designed to ensure gamete safety. If anonymous donor gametes originating from outside EU territory are used by EU patients, donor testing must conform to the same standards as if gamete procurement had occurred in the EU. In Ireland, IVF recipients can be matched to anonymous donors in the Ukraine (a non-EU country). This investigation describes the evolution of anonymous oocyte donor screening methods during this period and associated results. Data were reviewed for all participants in an anonymous donor oocyte IVF programme from 2006 to 2009, when testing consistent with contemporary EU screening requirements was performed on all Ukrainian oocyte donors. HIV and hepatitis tests were aggregated from 314 anonymous oocyte donors and 265 recipients. The results included 5,524 Ukrainian women who were interviewed and 314 of these entered the programme (5.7% accession rate). Mean age of anonymous oocyte donors was 27.9 years; all had achieved at least one delivery. No case of hepatitis or HIV was detected at initial screening or at oocyte procurement. This is the first study of HIV and hepatitis incidence specifically among Ukrainian oocyte donors. We find anonymous oocyte donors to be a low-risk group, despite a high background HIV rate. Following full disclosure of the donation process, most Ukrainian women wishing to volunteer as anonymous oocyte donors do not participate. Current EU screening requirements appear adequate to maintain patient safety in the context of anonymous donor oocyte IVF.

Irish public opinion on assisted human reproduction services: Contemporary assessments from a national sample

“…The relevance of donor oocyte policy in Ireland thus far has been limited, because just one Irish IVF unit provides this service [18]. This investigation shows mixed public opinion on oocyte donation in Ireland, with most respondents favouring identifiable donation.…”

Medical Student Experiences in Clinical Reproductive Medicine: Dual-Cohort Assessment of a New Learning Module at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

“…Because the new module was offered at the only facility in Ireland providing donor oocyte IVF [7,8], our students were able to directly observe a key aspect of reproductive treatment that would otherwise not be available without international travel. Another component of this new clinical module in reproductive medicine was the opportunity for mentoring, and to encourage medical student research.…”

The long path to pregnancy: early experience with dual anonymous gamete donation in a European in vitro fertilisation referral centre

“…However, in cases where prior ovarian response to gonadotropin ovulation induction was poor and where the male partner evaluation also identified severe abnormality with semen parameters and/or sperm DNA fragmentation (and no donor gametes were used), couples could request to move directly to dual anonymous gamete donation without first having to complete one cycle of anonymous donor sperm or egg IVF. Anonymous oocyte donors underwent comprehensive medical and psychological evaluation in Ukraine, as described previously [2]. Recipients had their initial reproductive endocrinology consultation and all pre-embryo transfer monitoring in Ireland.…”

“…Each recipient selected an anonymous oocyte donor via secure internet portal with an electronic lock-out mechanism to prohibit multiple recipients from accessing the aggregate donor pool at the same time. Following registration of each provisional donor-recipient match, the corresponding anonymous oocyte donor entry was deleted from the donor library [2], thus creating a 1:1 ratio for each recipient and their anonymous oocyte donor. Anonymous sperm samples were individually ordered from a pre-screened cryobank inventory provided by a licensed tissue establishment.…”