Comparison of attitudes of donors and recipients to oocyte donation

Abstract

The attitudes of volunteer donors and recipients undergoing treatment in an ovum donation programme were studied in order to assess both the psychological and psycho-social aspects of the procedure. A questionnaire was sent to 35 donors and 60 recipients. All donations were unpaid. Fifty-eight were anonymous donations and three were known. Eighty-six per cent of recipients and 74% of donors had told at least one person other than their partner. Eighty per cent of donors and 66% of recipients agreed that donors should not be paid. Sixty-three per cent of donors would donate if the recipient was told their name but only 26% of recipients would accept if the donor was given their name. Seventy per cent of the donors would donate to someone they knew but would rather donate anonymously. Ninety per cent of recipients were strongly against the donor contacting the child later in life but 54% of donors had no objection to the child contacting them. Eighty-six per cent of recipients and 56% of donors felt that if they had been born from a donated oocyte, they would not want to know.

Donor Gametes and Embryos: Who Wants to Know What about Whom, and Why?

“…Again consistent with the present study, typically the majority of recipients surveyed have told family, friends, and/ or medical personnel about their use of donated gametes Donor Gametes and Embryos Cook et al, 1997;Durna et al, 1997;Kirkland et al, 1992;Klock, Jacob, and Maier, 1994;Leiblum and Aviv, 1997;Purdie et al, 1992;Rowland, 1983). An interesting point, reported in only one study-presumably because of the specific nature of the question-is that more than 80% of couples who did disclose to someone else their use of donated gametes would choose not to do so if they were in the same situation again (Klock and Maier, 1991).…”

“…This finding is consistent, also extending to potential sperm donors in Australia (Handelsman et al, 1985) and oocyte donors in the United Kingdom (Kirkland et al, 1992).…”

Looking back: egg donors' retrospective evaluations of their motivations, expectations, and experiences during their first donation cycle

“…In 2005 (the last year for which statistics are available), donor eggs were used in approximately 13.7% of all IVF cycles (14,646 cycles overall) (1). In the U.S., egg donation occurs under conditions that are relatively unique on the worldwide stage in that there is limited insurance coverage for such fertility treatments, and individuals primarily pay for their assisted reproductive medical services out of pocket.…”

“…These studies also indicate that donors tolerate the procedures well, are largely satisfied with their experiences, have few (if any) regrets about donating, and have some willingness to donate eggs again. In the UK, where direct payment is banned but indirect monetary gain is a possibility, egg donors report both altruistic and self-interested motives (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15). Comparison of statistics on the frequency of use of donor eggs in IVF cycles in the U.S. and in countries that limit or prohibit payment to egg donors suggests that the offer of direct remuneration increases the number of women participating in the process.…”

Oocyte donors’ experiences of altruistic known donation: a qualitative study

“…Most are found among studies that include a subset of altruistic known donors among other types of donors in the study population (Baetens, Devroey, Camus, van Steirteghem, & Ponjaert-Kristoffersen, 2000;Fielding, Handley, Duqueno, Weaver, & Lui, 1998;Greenfeld, Mazure, Olive, & Keefe, 1995;Kirkland et al, 1992;Sauer & Paulson, 1992;Weil, Cornet, Sibony, Mandelbaum, & Salat-Baroux, 1994). In-depth accounts of known donors' experiences are found in two studies only (Lessor, 1993;Winter & Daniluk, 2004).…”