Views of French oocyte donors at least 3 years after donation

Abstract

Research question: The study aimed to evaluate the percentage of oocyte donors who regretted their donation at least 3 years later.

Design: Between December 2018 and January 2019, this single-centre study sought to contact by telephone all women who had donated oocytes during the 6-year period from 2010 to 2015 at the Lille Centre for the study and storage of eggs and spermatozoa (CECOS).

Results: Among 118 women, 72 responded to the questionnaire by telephone and were included in the study. The response rate was 61%. No woman regretted having donated an oocyte, and 89% said that they would do it again in the same situation. The survey distinguished two types of donors: 'relational' (58%) and 'altruistic' (42%); some of their responses differed. Ninety per cent of the women had talked about the donation to family and friends. Among them, 74% felt supported by their family and friends, and 72% by their partner. The donation was something that 76% of the women sometimes thought about; 83% felt that this donation was something useful that they had accomplished. Finally, most donors felt that oocyte donation should remain unremunerated and anonymous.

Conclusions: None of the donors we interviewed regretted their donation. In France, the current principles governing this donation appear satisfactory to oocyte donors.

Keywords: Experiences; Feelings; Motivation; Oocyte donation; Oocyte donors; Satisfaction.