We wanted to choose us: how embryo donors choose recipients for their surplus embryos

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore factors affecting donors’ choice of recipients for their surplus embryos in the New Zealand context of conditional, known donations.

Background: Internationally, embryo donation has a low uptake in spite of large numbers of cryopreserved embryos. Possible reasons include a lack of knowledge about and concern for the future welfare of the resultant offspring. In New Zealand, donors and recipients meet prior to donation and legislation supports disclosure and access to genetic knowledge.

Method: Twenty-two embryo donors (10 couples, two individuals) were interviewed between March 2012 and February 2013 about their experiences of donation and factors affecting their donation. Interview data were analysed thematically.

Results: In the interests of the welfare of the child resulting from donation, donors were invested in choosing recipients who would make suitable parents. They attempted to choose recipients similar to themselves, as well as those that they trusted to disclose the manner of conception and facilitate agreed-upon information exchange and contact.

Conclusion: The interest of donors in ensuring offspring well-being may lend support to conditional forms of open donation, allowing for assessment of recipients’ suitability to parent, and for negotiation around information exchange and contact.

Keywords:

• Embryo donation
• donors
• parenting suitability
• disclosure
• information exchange

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the donors who participated in the study and shared their understandings and experiences.