The psychological evaluation of oocyte donors

Abstract

A new program matches oocyte donors from a pool of volunteers to women who could carry a pregnancy, but have ovarian failure or carry a genetic risk factor. Oocyte donors who matched on physical characteristics to potential recipients underwent assessment by psychological testing and interview with an experienced psychologist. Of the first 26 women evaluated, six (23%) were considered excellent candidates from a psychological perspective, 19 (73%) were accepted with minor reservations, and one (4%) was excluded for psychopathology. The overall rating from the psychological evaluation did predict compliance, with 100% of 'excellent' candidates, but only 61% of women accepted with reservations completing at least one donation cycle. Because oocyte donors appeared to have unusual histories of reproductive loss and family turmoil, they were compared on these parameters to a control group of 43 women matched in age, education and race. Oocyte donors were significantly more likely than controls to have experienced at least one emotional trauma related to reproduction or at least one family event such as death of a parent, parental divorce, chemical dependency or psychiatric disorder in a relative, or sexual abuse. Donors had also experienced a significantly greater number of reproductive traumas or family problems than controls.