Facts, Views & Vision
in ObGyn

Abstract

This paper explores the attitudes and experiences of 203 women in heterosexual couples who conceived via donated eggs (145) or donated embryos (58) in the last 5 years. Online surveys were sent to former patients (from many different countries) of a private Spanish clinic. By comparing the women in heterosexual couples who relied on donated eggs with those who relied on donated embryos, we examined the meaning of the absence of a genetic tie to a child in the two different situations - that of “genetic symmetry” where neither parent has a genetic tie to that of “genetic asymmetry” where only the mother does not have a genetic tie. No existing study has yet shown whether women who rely on donated eggs and women who rely on donated embryos have similar or different attitudes towards issues surrounding the experience of non-genetic motherhood. Three issues are discussed: (1) attitudes toward the importance of genetic ties and genetic information from the donor before and after the birth of their children, (2) patterns of disclosure, and (3) the relationship between attitudes toward genetic information and disclosure decisions. This study showed that although the two groups of women have many of the same attitudes, including attitudes toward the importance of genes as determinants of outcomes for the child, egg recipients are more likely than embryo recipients to agree that the genetic origins are important to them and that their children have a right to know genetic information. We also found that those who conceived with donated eggs more frequently disclose the nature of their conception to their child than do those who conceived with donated embryos.