Ethical Issues in Oocyte Donation

Abstract

Oocyte or gamete donation has allowed for the reproductive process to be broken down into its component parts (genetic mother, gestating mother, and rearing mother) and has introduced the inclusion of a third party for female infertility. Gamete donation has enabled previously infertile individuals to have children. This chapter reviews three ethical issues in gamete donation: the payment of donors, the medical and psychological well-being of donors after donation, and the issues related to information sharing between donors, parents and offspring.