Oocyte donors: a demographic analysis of women at the University of Southern California

Abstract

A summary is presented of 3 years' experience with donors in an oocyte donation programme. During this interval, 50 women participated as gamete donors. All proffered their services without solicitation from the programme. Most were college-educated, working mothers. The majority stated that the primary motivation for participation was concern for others' infertility. Oocyte donors generally found the required use of parenteral medication taxing but tolerable. In most cases, injections were administered to the donor by her husband or by the female recipient. The majority of donations were performed without anonymity (66%). Cycles were performed at ∼3-month intervals. This approach was well tolerated by donors and allowed predictable scheduling of cases. All women felt their participation was of great significance and each was willing to donate oocytes again if asked.