What do Infertile Women Think about Oocyte Reception, Oocyte Donation, and Child Adoption?

Abstract

Purpose The views of infertile couples regarding oocyte donation by third parties and adoption are unknown, as these may be interpreted as a final closure of the available options for conception. This study aimed to determine the acceptance of oocyte donation, oocyte reception, and child adoption of infertile women who submitted to assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment

Methods Sixty-nine women who were under treatment for infertility and submitted to ART procedures were included in this cross-sectional study. They were evaluated using semi-structured questionnaires administered during ovulation induction in a treatment cycle. Marital status, religion, years of schooling, occupation, type of infertility, age, duration of infertility, number of previous ART cycles, mean oocyte number per cycle, and mean number of embryos per cycle had no influence on a woman's acceptance of oocyte donation or oocyte reception.

Results More than 90% of the patients thought that the subject of “adoption” should be brought up during their ART treatments, although they preferred to discuss this topic with psychologists, not doctors. Women with occupations were more willing to consider adoption.

Conclusion The opinions of these patients on these issues seem to be based on personal concepts and ethical, religious, and moral values. Women preferred to discuss adoption with psychologists rather than doctors.

Resumo

Objetivo Não se sabe ao certo o que os casais inférteis acham sobre doação de óvulos por terceiros e adoção, condições estas que podem ser interpretadas como um encerramento definitivo das opções disponíveis para concepção. Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar a aceitação da doação de oócitos, ovo recepção e adoção de crianças por mulheres inférteis submetidas a tratamento de reprodução assistida (RA).

Métodos Sessenta e nove mulheres em tratamento para infertilidade e submetidas a procedimentos de RA foram incluídas neste estudo transversal. Elas foram avaliadas por meio de questionários semiestruturados administrados durante a indução da ovulação em um ciclo de tratamento.

Resultados O estado civil, religião, escolaridade, ocupação, tipo de infertilidade, idade, duração da infertilidade, número de ciclos de RA anteriores, o número médio de oócitos por ciclo e de embriões por ciclo médio não tiveram influência sobre a aceitação da doação ou da recepção de oócitos. Mais de 90% das mulheres acha que o tema “adoção” deve ser discutido durante o tratamento de RA, porém preferem discutir este tema com psicólogos, e não com médicos. As mulheres com ocupações foram mais predispostas a considerar a adoção.

Conclusão As opiniões destas pacientes sobre estas questões parecem ser baseadas em conceitos pessoais e valores éticos, religiosos e morais. As mulheres preferiam discutir a adopção com psicólogos, em vez de médicos.

Keywords

marital infertility - oocyte donation - adoption - reproduction

Palavras-chave

infertilidade conjugal - doação de oocitos - adoção - reprodução

• References

• 1 Boivin J, Bunting L, Collins JA, Nygren KG. International estimates of infertility prevalence and treatment-seeking: potential need and demand for infertility medical care. Hum Reprod 2007; 22 (06) 1506-1512
• 2 Daniluk JC, Koert E. Childless Canadian men's and women's childbearing intentions, attitudes towards and willingness to use assisted human reproduction. Hum Reprod 2012; 27 (08) 2405-2412
• 3 Birch Petersen K, Hvidman HW, Sylvest R. , et al. Family intentions and personal considerations on postponing childbearing in childless cohabiting and single women aged 35-43 seeking fertility assessment and counselling. Hum Reprod 2015; 30 (11) 2563-2574
• 4 Berglund Scherwitzl E, Lindén Hirschberg A, Scherwitzl R. Identification and prediction of the fertile window using NaturalCycles. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care 2015; 20 (05) 403-408
• 5 Cavallini G. Male idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. Asian J Androl 2006; 8 (02) 143-157
• 6 Ricci G, Delbon P, Conti A, Sirignano A. [Literature review and state of the art of the Italian law on medically assisted reproduction]. Clin Ter 2015; 166 (03) e234-e241 Italian
• 7 Asch R, Balmaceda J, Ord T. , et al. Oocyte donation and gamete intrafallopian transfer as treatment for premature ovarian failure. Lancet 1987; 1 (8534): 687
• 8 Cobo A, Garrido N, Pellicer A, Remohí J. Six years' experience in ovum donation using vitrified oocytes: report of cumulative outcomes, impact of storage time, and development of a predictive model for oocyte survival rate. Fertil Steril 2015; 104 (06) 1426-34.e1 , 8
• 9 Figueira RdeC, Setti AS, Braga DP, Iaconelli Jr A, Borges Jr E. The efficiency of a donor-recipient program using infertile donors' egg cryo-banking: a Brazilian reality. J Assist Reprod Genet 2014; 31 (08) 1053-1057
• 10 Zegers-Hochschild F, Masoli D, Schwarze JE, Iaconelli A, Borges E, Pacheco IM. Reproductive performance in oocyte donors and their recipients: comparative analysis from implantation to birth and lactation. Fertil Steril 2010; 93 (07) 2210-2215
• 11 Letur H. [Current practices of oocyte donation in France and Europe]. J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris) 2007; 36 (08) 727-737 French
• 12 Guilhem D. New reproductive technologies, ethics and legislation in Brazil: a delayed debate. Bioethics 2001; 15 (03) 218-230
• 13 German EK, Mukherjee T, Osborne D, Copperman AB. Does increasing ovum donor compensation lead to differences in donor characteristics?. Fertil Steril 2001; 76 (01) 75-79
• 14 Horwath D, Check JH, Katsoff B, Amui J, Brasile D. Subsequent therapeutic options and outcome in couples who fail to fertilize despite in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol 2007; 34 (02) 109-110
• 15 Mariano FN, Rossetti-Ferreira MC. . [What's the profile of the biological, adopting families and adopted child as revealed by the judicial processes?] Psicol Reflex Crit 2008; 21 (01) 11-19 Portuguese
• 16 Jones J. Who adopts? Characteristics of women and men who have adopted children. NCHS Data Brief 2009; (12) 1-8
• 17 Daniels KR. Adoption and donor insemination: factors influencing couples' choices. Child Welfare 1994; 73 (01) 5-14
• 18 Alberta HB, Berry RM, Levine AD. Compliance with donor age recommendations in oocyte donor recruitment advertisements in the USA. Reprod Biomed Online 2013; 26 (04) 400-405
• 19 Holwell E, Keehn J, Leu CS, Sauer MV, Klitzman R. Egg donation brokers: an analysis of agency versus in vitro fertilization clinic websites. J Reprod Med 2014; 59 (11-12): 534-541
• 20 Gürtin ZB, Ahuja KK, Golombok S. Emotional and relational aspects of egg-sharing: egg-share donors' and recipients' feelings about each other, each others' treatment outcome and any resulting children. Hum Reprod 2012; 27 (06) 1690-1701
• 21 Bertrand-Servais M, Letur-Könirsch H, Raoul-Duval A, Frydman R. [Recipients of oocytes donated anonymously. Psychological aspects]. J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris) 1992; 21 (07) 743-749 French
• 22 Karpel L, Frydman N, Hesters L, Fanchin R, Frydman R, Flis-Trèves M. [Talking about adoption during IVF]. Gynecol Obstet Fertil 2007; 35 (03) 232-239 French
• 23 MacCallum F. Embryo donation parents' attitudes towards donors: comparison with adoption. Hum Reprod 2009; 24 (03) 517-523
• 24 Oster KA, Scannell ED. Change in role perception, role conflict, and psychological health of working mothers. Psychol Rep 1999; 84 (01) 221-230
• 25 Tang CS, Lee AM, Tang T, Cheung FM, Chan C. Role occupancy, role quality, and psychological distress in Chinese women. Women Health 2002; 36 (01) 49-66
• 26 Johansson M, Adolfsson A, Berg M. , et al. Quality of life for couples 4-5.5 years after unsuccessful IVF treatment. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2009; 88 (03) 291-300