New Study Shows Most Egg Donors Feel Good About Donation and Are Open to Future Contact with Donor Children

Donors' Openness to Future Contact

The study showed that a majority of donors (73.6%) were curious about children born from their donations, though only 10.3% thought about it often. A significant 46.8% of donors expressed a desire to meet these children, and 62.2% stated that they would allow their identity to be released to the child upon reaching adulthood. By contrast, only 16.1% preferred to keep their identities confidential, while the remainder were undecided.

In terms of preferred forms of communication, 76% of donors were willing to communicate via phone or email, and 68% were open to in-person meetings. Just 11.5% expressed no interest in future contact, illustrating a broad openness among donors to connect with children born from their donations.

Health Concerns Among Donors

Notably, while most egg donors reported no concerns about their health or future fertility, 23.6% expressed worry about the long-term effects of donation on their well-being. Holley’s study highlights the need for further research into the potential long-term impacts of egg donation on a donor's health and emphasizes that addressing these concerns could lead to better support for current and future donors.

“A common question we get from potential donors is about the possible long-term effects on their health and fertility,” Holley said. “There’s a clear need to better understand long-term psychosocial impacts of oocyte donation so that potential donors can fully understand what they’re signing up for and that we can identify ways to best support donors—not just at the time of donation.”

Changing Perspectives on Donor Anonymity

The study also addressed shifts in donor anonymity as DNA testing and genetic research advance. Rachel Weinerman, MD, from Case Western Reserve University, who was not part of the study, noted that the idea of “anonymous” donation is rapidly becoming outdated. “We’ve known for a few years that there’s really no such thing as an anonymous egg donor,” Weinerman said, adding that egg donors today should be aware of the possibility of future contact given advancements in genetic testing.

In Holley’s survey, the majority of donors showed an openness to contact, even at the time of donation. This changing landscape means that some donors are legally committed to future contact, which has implications for the evolving relationship between donors, intended parents, and donor-conceived children.

Study Design and Findings

The research team at UCSF conducted a thorough survey of non-directed egg donors who had completed at least one donation cycle between 2009 and 2021 in San Francisco-area clinics. With input from reproductive endocrinologists and mental health specialists, the team developed a 12-item survey to assess donors' thoughts on their donation experience and their openness to future contact. The average age of participants was 34.5, with an average of 2.8 donation cycles and a 7.4-year gap since their last donation.

Moving Forward

The findings from Holley and her team suggest that as egg donation practices evolve, so too should the support systems for donors. With so many donors expressing interest in future contact and a willingness to connect with donor-conceived children, this research provides a valuable framework for developing best practices in family-building and donor support.

Holley’s study was supported by the University of California San Francisco’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences. This research highlights the need for ongoing dialogue around the support egg donors require throughout and beyond their donation experience.

For more details on the study, visit the American Society for Reproductive Medicine website.

For further reading, visit MedPage Today for the original article by Rachael Robertson.