A comparison of the attitudes of volunteer donors and infertile patient donors on an ovum donation programme

The attitudes of anonymous volunteer donors (n = 20) and infertile patients who were undergoing treatment in an IVF programme and who donated oocytes (n = 15) towards the donation, the recipient, the potential children conceived, the recording of information and their experience of the procedures were sought by posted questionnaires. All donations were made for altruistic reasons and no payments other than expenses were made. Both groups agree that donors should not be paid and they both deny any connection with the child resulting from their donation. The majority in both groups also did not object if their eggs were donated to unmarried single women and they did not wish to meet with the recipient. The majority of both groups would however agree to donate to known recipients. Over 80% had told others of their donation and a similar number in the volunteer group held no objection to the recipients knowing their name whilst only 40% held the same view in the patient donor group (17/20 versus 6/15 P less than 0.02). The feelings of the groups was also different in relation to their desire to know if a child was born from their eggs. Eighty five per cent in the volunteer group (17/20) would like to know the outcome and only 40% (6/15) of the patient donor would want to know the outcome, P less than 0.02. Although greater than 50% in both groups experienced side effects, 60% of volunteers and 90% of patient donors expressed a willingness to donate eggs again.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)