A survey of public attitudes toward oocyte donation between sisters

Oocyte donation offers the possibility of pregnancy for many patients with premature ovarian failure (POF) and recently a number of patients have been requesting egg donation by a sister. While patients anxious to achieve a pregnancy are favourably disposed toward egg donation, the existence of favourable attitudes in others, and thus the amount of social support such patients will receive, depends upon the wider social environment. A survey of public opinion was conducted utilizing a random sample of 501 adults in Orange County, CA in an attempt to identify demographic correlates of attitudes. Log linear analysis demonstrated no relationship between attitudes and an array of demographic data (income, political party, age), but showed a significant relationship between sex of the respondent and attitudes towards egg donation. While more than half of respondents of both sexes were favourably disposed towards egg donation, men exhibited significantly (P = 0.005) more positive attitudes towards oocyte donation by a sister than did women. Women in the general population showed markedly less support for egg donation by a sister than POF patients have been demonstrated to show. The theory is proposed that female respondents are more wary of the symbolic meaning of the reproductive connection between a sister-in-law and a husband, while the POF patient's attitude is shaped in part by her desire for a pregnancy. The results have implications for the attitudes POF couples may face in the social environment and for the type of social support which may be recommended.