What influences oocyte donation when there is no financial compensation?

Abstract

Aim

To evaluate the influence of factors such as age, education level and previous treatment for infertility in the decision to donate or receive eggs.

Methods

Patients visting our service for the first time answered the question: “Would you donate or receive eggs?”. We assessed whether the inclination to donate or receive was related to age, level of education and the previous unsuccessful treatment for infertility.

Results

313 patients were included and most (56.9%) said they would donate eggs while only 34.5% would receive a donation. When giving and receiving were evaluated jointly we observed a positive correlation between them (Pearson correlation: r = 0.537, p < 0.01). Patients that underwent previous treatments for infertility were significantly more prone to egg donation (63.4% yes vs. 36.6% no, p < 0.05 vs no previous treatment group), but not to receive (41.8% yes vs. 58, 2% no). In high and low levels of education most patients were in favor of donation (55.4% and 61.3%, respectively), but against the idea of receiving (33.9% and 37.5%, respectively). There was no significant differences between groups. The age of the patients (< 35 years old or > 35 years old) did not influence the will do donate (58.2% and 56.4% respectively) or receive eggs (36.9% and 33.0%, respectively).

Conclusions

Our results help understand the factors that may influence the decision to participate in an egg-sharing scheme. We could speculate that patients who have previously undergone unsuccessful treatments are more open to egg-sharing, despite their age or educational background. It would also be relevant to investigate the psychosocial reasons that make couples more willing to donate eggs than receiving.