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Do directed and non-directed oocyte donors differ regarding their motives, ambivalence, satisfaction and openness about donating?

Thorup, Emilia LU ; Sydsjö, Gunilla ; Skoog Svanberg, Agneta and Lampic, Claudia (2025) In Reproductive BioMedicine Online 50(2).
Abstract
Research question: Do directed oocyte donors differ from non-directed identity-release oocyte donors regarding pre-donation motives and ambivalence, and post-donation satisfaction and openness? Design: The study is part of the longitudinal Swedish Study on Gamete Donation where consecutive samples of identity-release gamete donors at seven Swedish University Hospitals were approached during a 3-year period (2005–2008). The participants of the current study were 16 women who donated oocytes to family members or friends (directed donation) and 123 women who donated to unknown recipients (non-directed donation). Survey data on motivation, ambivalence, post-donation satisfaction and openness were collected at five time points between... (More)
Research question: Do directed oocyte donors differ from non-directed identity-release oocyte donors regarding pre-donation motives and ambivalence, and post-donation satisfaction and openness? Design: The study is part of the longitudinal Swedish Study on Gamete Donation where consecutive samples of identity-release gamete donors at seven Swedish University Hospitals were approached during a 3-year period (2005–2008). The participants of the current study were 16 women who donated oocytes to family members or friends (directed donation) and 123 women who donated to unknown recipients (non-directed donation). Survey data on motivation, ambivalence, post-donation satisfaction and openness were collected at five time points between acceptance as a donor and 14–17 years post-donation. Statistical group comparisons and longitudinal analyses were conducted. Results: In contrast to non-directed donors, who reported general altruism as their main motivation, directed donors were primarily motivated by empathy with the recipients. Pre-donation ambivalence was present in a quarter of donors and did not differ between groups (P = 0.601). Post-donation satisfaction was similar between groups (P = 0.17) and stable over time (P = 0.37). One directed donor reported regretting her donation, and this was attributed to negative relations with the recipients. Donors from both groups were generally open about having donated, but some directed donors felt restricted by the recipients’ wishes. Conclusions: Despite being differently motivated, the current findings suggest that directed oocyte donors are comparable to non-directed oocyte donors in terms of pre-donation ambivalence and post-donation satisfaction and openness. The findings also highlight how directed donation may be associated with specific challenges, which emphasizes the need for pre- and post-donation counselling. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Reproductive BioMedicine Online
volume
50
issue
2
article number
104455
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85212346084
ISSN
1472-6491
DOI
10.1016/j.rbmo.2024.104455
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f25e3983-9651-4ec1-94db-4f4cd167001b
date added to LUP
2025-02-19 15:20:04
date last changed
2025-04-04 15:18:22
@article{f25e3983-9651-4ec1-94db-4f4cd167001b,
  abstract     = {{Research question: Do directed oocyte donors differ from non-directed identity-release oocyte donors regarding pre-donation motives and ambivalence, and post-donation satisfaction and openness? Design: The study is part of the longitudinal Swedish Study on Gamete Donation where consecutive samples of identity-release gamete donors at seven Swedish University Hospitals were approached during a 3-year period (2005–2008). The participants of the current study were 16 women who donated oocytes to family members or friends (directed donation) and 123 women who donated to unknown recipients (non-directed donation). Survey data on motivation, ambivalence, post-donation satisfaction and openness were collected at five time points between acceptance as a donor and 14–17 years post-donation. Statistical group comparisons and longitudinal analyses were conducted. Results: In contrast to non-directed donors, who reported general altruism as their main motivation, directed donors were primarily motivated by empathy with the recipients. Pre-donation ambivalence was present in a quarter of donors and did not differ between groups (P = 0.601). Post-donation satisfaction was similar between groups (P = 0.17) and stable over time (P = 0.37). One directed donor reported regretting her donation, and this was attributed to negative relations with the recipients. Donors from both groups were generally open about having donated, but some directed donors felt restricted by the recipients’ wishes. Conclusions: Despite being differently motivated, the current findings suggest that directed oocyte donors are comparable to non-directed oocyte donors in terms of pre-donation ambivalence and post-donation satisfaction and openness. The findings also highlight how directed donation may be associated with specific challenges, which emphasizes the need for pre- and post-donation counselling.}},
  author       = {{Thorup, Emilia and Sydsjö, Gunilla and Skoog Svanberg, Agneta and Lampic, Claudia}},
  issn         = {{1472-6491}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Reproductive BioMedicine Online}},
  title        = {{Do directed and non-directed oocyte donors differ regarding their motives, ambivalence, satisfaction and openness about donating?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2024.104455}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.rbmo.2024.104455}},
  volume       = {{50}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}