Unmet support needs in donor sperm treatment: consequences for parents and their donor-children

Anne M Schrijvers; Kees-Jan Kan; Fulco van der Veen; Marja Visser; Henny M W Bos; Monique H Mochtar; Floor B van Rooij

doi:10.1016/j.rbmo.2021.12.009

Unmet support needs in donor sperm treatment: consequences for parents and their donor-children

Reprod Biomed Online. 2022 May;44(5):935-942. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2021.12.009. Epub 2021 Dec 18.

Authors

Anne M Schrijvers¹, Kees-Jan Kan², Fulco van der Veen³, Marja Visser³, Henny M W Bos², Monique H Mochtar³, Floor B van Rooij²

Affiliations

¹ Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine Amsterdam, The Netherlands; University of Amsterdam, Research Institute of Child Development and Education Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.m.schrijvers@amsterdamumc.nl.
² University of Amsterdam, Research Institute of Child Development and Education Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
³ Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

PMID: 35351378
DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2021.12.009

Abstract

Research question: Are unmet needs for psychosocial counselling, peer support and friends/family support in parents directly and/or indirectly related to the mental health of parents and their donor-children?

Design: A cross-sectional sample of 214 parents participated in this quantitative study via an online questionnaire. The sample comprised mothers and fathers in a heterosexual relationship (n = 85), mothers in a lesbian relationship (n = 67) and single mothers (n = 62). Parents were recruited via three Dutch fertility clinics and four network organizations. Unmet support needs were measured with an adapted version of the Unmet Needs for Parenting Support questionnaire, changing the original items into items about donor conception. The items were derived from a qualitative study and checked by experts in donor conception. The parents' mental health was measured with the Adult Self Report and the donor-children's mental health with the Child Behaviour Checklist. A multigroup mediation analysis was conducted to explore relationships between parents' unmet support needs and their child's mental health, with the parents' mental health as a possible mediator.

Results: There were no direct relations between parents' unmet support needs and the mental health of donor-children. Unmet needs for psychosocial counselling, peer support and friends/family support for parents and children's mental health were indirectly related through the mental health of the parents: 0.074 (CI 95% = 0.013-0.136; P = 0.017), 0.085 (CI 95% = 0.018-0.151; P = 0.036) and 0.063 (CI 95% = 0.019-0.106; P = 0.013), respectively.

Conclusions: We recommend that fertility clinics, network organizations and authorities for infertility counsellors make their support available to parents for extended periods after their treatment. Further qualitative studies are necessary to assess how to relieve unmet support needs during donor sperm treatment.

Keywords: Donor sperm treatment; Friends/family support; Mental health; Peer support; Psychosocial counselling; Unmet needs.

MeSH terms

Adult
Cross-Sectional Studies
Donor Conception*
Female
Humans
Male
Parenting
Parents* / psychology
Spermatozoa