DENVER — A recent retrospective survey study has revealed that the majority of oocyte donors feel positive about their donation experiences and are open to future contact with the resulting children. The findings were presented by Sarah Holley, PhD, from the University of California, San Francisco, during a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
The study surveyed 234 donors, with an impressive 88.3% reporting feelings of happiness, pride, or satisfaction regarding their donation. Holley emphasized the need to understand donors’ experiences, stating, “A lot of the work in this area has focused on intended parents or donor-conceived children, with far less attention given to the donors themselves.” Oocyte donation plays a significant role in assisted reproductive technology, utilized in 10.4% of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles in the United States.
Among the surveyed donors, nearly three-quarters (73.6%) expressed curiosity about the children born from their donations, although only 10.3% thought about it frequently. Additionally, 46.8% indicated a desire to meet these children, while 62.2% were willing to allow their identities to be disclosed to the child upon reaching adulthood. Conversely, 21.7% were uncertain about sharing their identities, and 16.1% were not open to disclosure.
Communication preferences were also explored, with 76% of donors stating they would be willing to communicate through phone or email, and 68% open to meeting the child. Only 11.5% indicated they were not interested in any future contact.
Despite the overall positivity regarding their donation experiences, a notable 23.6% of donors expressed concerns about potential health risks or impacts on their future fertility. Holley highlighted that many potential donors inquire about the long-term effects of donation, indicating a clear need for more information to help them make informed decisions. “It’s important to support donors not just at the time of donation, but also in understanding the potential long-term psychosocial impacts,” she said.
Holley’s research is particularly relevant as the landscape of oocyte donation evolves. Traditionally, donors operated under the assumption of anonymity, but this notion is increasingly outdated. Rachel Weinerman, MD, an ob/gyn and reproductive endocrinologist at Case Western Reserve University, commented on the changing perceptions of donor anonymity. “We’ve known for a few years that there is no such thing as an anonymous egg donor,” she stated, noting that terminology is shifting to “de-identified donor.”
Weinerman cautioned that potential donors should reconsider their willingness to donate if they are unwilling to be contacted, particularly given the rise of accessible DNA testing. “There’s really no such thing as anonymity in 2024, let alone in 2044, when these children may become legal adults,” she remarked.
For this study, Holley and her colleagues surveyed non-directed oocyte donors who had completed at least one donation cycle through two San Francisco-area clinics from 2009 to 2021. The survey, which included 12 items assessing donors’ thoughts, feelings about their donation, and their interest in future contact, was reviewed by a panel of reproductive endocrinologists and mental health specialists. The average age of participants was 34.5, with an average of 2.8 donation cycles and 7.4 years since their last donation.
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