Psychological well-being and family functioning following identity-release gamete donation or standard IVF: follow-up of parents with adolescent children

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of participating parents with adolescent children following oocyte donation, sperm donation and standard IVF.

	Oocyte donation N = 73		Sperm donation N = 67		IVF N = 65		Group difference
	N	%	N	%	N	%	χ2	p
Parent gender							0.627	0.731
Male	32	43.8	25	37.3	27	41.5
Female	41	56.2	42	62.7	38	58.5
Relationship status^a							0.096	0.953
Married/co-habiting	58	79.5	54	80.6	53	81.5
Divorced/separated	15	20.5	13	19.4	12	18.5	0.015	0.993
Occupation
Working	71	97.3	65	97	63	96.9
Unemployed	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other (sick leave, retired)	2	2.7	2	3	2	3.1
Donor type					N/A	N/A	8.828	0.003
Identity-release	64	87.7	67	100
Known/directed	9	12.3	0	0
Disclosure of donor conception to child					N/A	N/A	3.023	0.082
Disclosed	62	84.9	63	94
Not disclosed	11	15.1	4	6

^a Relationship status with the co-parent of the donor conceived child.

* Percentages may not add up to 100% as decimals have been rounded.

Table 2. Mothers' and fathers' responses on HADS and GF6+. Above cut-off levels indicate possible or probable caseness of anxiety, depression, and unhealthy family functioning.

	Oocyte donation		Sperm donation		IVF
	Below cut-off	Above cut-off	Below cut-off	Above cut-off	Below cut-off	Above cut-off
	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	χ2^c	P^d
Mothers
Anxiety (HADS-A)^a	38 (92.7)	3 (7.3)	29 (69.0)	13 (31.0)	32 (84.2)	6 (15.8)	8.004	0.018
Depression (HADS-D)^a	37 (90.2)	4 (9.8)	36 (85.7)	6 (14.3)	36 (94.7)	2 (5.3)	1.820	0.403
Family functioning (GF6+)^b^,^e	38 (92.7)	3 (7.3)	38 (90.5)	2 (4.8)	36 (94.7)	2 (5.3)	0.235	0.889
Fathers
Anxiety (HADS-A)^a	29 (90.6)	3 (9.4)	22 (87.5)	3 (12.5)	21 (77.8)	6 (22.2)	2.126	0.345
Depression (HADS-D)^a	30 (93.8)	2 (6.3)	23 (92.0)	2 (8.0)	26 (96.3)	1 (3.7)	0.436	0.804
Family functioning (GF6+)^b	29 (90.6)	3 (9.4)	24 (96.0)	1 (4.0)	25 (92.6)	2 (7.4)	0.616	0.735

^a Scale from 0 to 21, with cut-off scores ≥ 8 indicating possible or probable caseness of anxiety or depression.

^b Scale from 1 to 4, with cut-off at scores >2 indicating unhealthy family functioning.

^c Pearson Chi-Square test (χ²) for treatment type differences (oocyte donation, sperm donation, and IVF with own gametes).

^d P: p-value (level of significance).

^e Missing n = 2.

Table 3. Comparison of parents’ psychological distress, family functioning, closeness and conflict with adolescent child between family types, by parent gender.

	Oocyte donation			Sperm donation			IVF
	n	Median	Range	n	Median	Range	n	Median	Range	H^d	P^e
Mothers
Anxiety (HADS-A)^a	41	3	15	42	6	14	38	5	13	5.443	0.066
Depression (HADS-D)^a	41	2	15	42	2	13	38	2	11	0.169	0.919
Family functioning (GF6+)^b^,^f	41	1.17	1.33	40	1.17	1.50	38	1.25	2.67	1.623	0.444
Closeness^c	41	4	3	42	4	1	38	4	3	0.104	0.949
Conflict^c	41	3	2	42	3	3	38	3	3	1.049	0.592
Fathers
Anxiety (HADS-A)^a	32	3.5	11	25	3	11	27	5	11	2.485	0.289
Depression (HADS-D)^a	32	2.5	8	25	2	16	27	2	8	0.870	0.647
Family functioning (GF6+)^b	32	1.08	2	25	1	2	27	1.33	1.5	1.919	0.383
Closeness^c	32	4	2	25	4	2	27	4	1	0.542	0.763
Conflict^c	32	3	2	25	3	3	27	3	2	0.585	0.746

^a Scale from 0 to 21, with scores ≥ 8 indicating possible or probable caseness of anxiety or depression.

^b Scale from 1 to 4, with scores >2 indicating unhealthy family functioning.

^c Single item ranging from 1 to 4, where a higher score indicates more closeness and less conflict, respectively.

^d H-value (Kruskal-Wallis test) for family type differences (OD, SD, IVF).

^e p-value (level of significance).

^f Missing n = 2.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, JP. The data are not publicly available due to their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.