Egg donation and having a baby in Australia
- Publication Type:
- Thesis
- Issue Date:
- 2020
Open Access
Copyright Clearance Process
- Recently Added
- In Progress
- Open Access
This item is open access.
๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ: Egg donation is an essential component of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. Studies indicate that when a woman or couple inquire about egg donation, they want to know if the treatment will result in a healthy baby. As yet, there is limited evidence comparing women receiving ART treatment with their own eggs, to women of a similar age using donor eggs. Also, there is little research on how donors and recipients experience the process of egg donation in Australia.
๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฑ๐: Mixed-methods research was conducted. Two population-based cohort studies investigated the impact of age on the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) in egg donation cycles. Semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis were conducted with egg donors and recipients to examine the barriers and enablers for altruistic egg donation.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐๐น๐๐: Overall, the findings demonstrate that women in their 40s using donor eggs were five times more likely to have a baby than women using their own eggs. The evidence confirms that the age of the egg donor is critical. Women using eggs from donors under 35 years had a statistically significantly higher CLBR when compared with recipients using eggs from donors over 35 years. However, most women in their 40s undergoing ART used their own eggs despite the minimal chance of having a baby as a result. The qualitative findings report that women experience difficulties finding a donor while egg donors described feeling undervalued. The egg donors wanted clinics to provide more person-centred care and emotional support.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐: The results of this study are timely and highly relevant to fertility clinics where egg donation is offered and to inform public health policy. This research is the first to evaluate the CLBR in women who have received donated eggs. The findings can be used when counselling women over 40 about their ART treatment options. The results lend support for the requirement to have an upper age limit for egg donors in Australia. Steps to improve womenโs experience of egg donation have been identified. Public health strategies such as national education campaigns on egg donation and the establishment of a public egg bank are recommended to increase donor recruitment and retention. Critically, better clinic follow-up care, including post-donation counselling, would significantly improve donors' experience of altruistic egg donation, which in turn may lead to egg donors being willing to donate more than once.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: