Views of French oocyte donors at least 3 years after donation

The study aimed to evaluate the percentage of oocyte donors who regretted their donation at least 3 years later.

Between December 2018 and January 2019, this single-centre study sought to contact by telephone all women who had donated oocytes during the 6-year period from 2010 to 2015 at the Lille Centre for the study and storage of eggs and spermatozoa (CECOS).

Among 118 women, 72 responded to the questionnaire by telephone and were included in the study. The response rate was 61%. No woman regretted having donated an oocyte, and 89% said that they would do it again in the same situation. The survey distinguished two types of donors: 'relational' (58%) and 'altruistic' (42%); some of their responses differed. Ninety per cent of the women had talked about the donation to family and friends. Among them, 74% felt supported by their family and friends, and 72% by their partner. The donation was something that 76% of the women sometimes thought about; 83% felt that this donation was something useful that they had accomplished. Finally, most donors felt that oocyte donation should remain unremunerated and anonymous.

None of the donors we interviewed regretted their donation. In France, the current principles governing this donation appear satisfactory to oocyte donors.