Study reveals key differences in how egg and sperm donors describe themselves
A comparative study of sperm and egg donors' personal descriptions and goodwill messages. (Tohme, 2024)
Tohme, N., Cutting, R., Gürtin, Z., & Jadva, V. (2024). A comparative study of sperm and egg donors' personal descriptions and goodwill messages. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 48(1), 103410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2023.103410
Geographic Region: United Kingdom
Research Question: What information do sperm donors and egg donors include in their personal descriptions and goodwill messages?
Design: Qualitative content analysis of forms. Statistical analysis of categorical data using chi-squared tests.
Sample Characteristics: 131 donor information forms (76 egg donors, 55 sperm donors) completed between 2011-2021. All donors were identity-release donors under UK regulations. A large proportion of sperm donors were from overseas (US and Denmark), while egg donors were mainly from the UK.
Key Findings:
Egg donors wrote longer goodwill messages than sperm donors but were less likely to provide personal descriptions.
Sperm donors were more likely to describe themselves through athleticism and personality traits.
Education was the most commonly mentioned characteristic by both donor types.
Sperm donors were more likely to include advice in their goodwill messages.
Egg donors were more likely to mention motivations involving helping others.
Both donor types predominantly expressed good wishes for recipients and children.
Only about 25% of donors mentioned potential future contact in their messages.
Limitations: Variation in donor information forms between different clinics and countries. Social desirability may have influenced reported motivations.
Applications: The findings point to a need to improve the support and guidance provided by clinics and sperm/egg banks to better support donors with completing. donor information forms to improve consistency in the amount of information provided.
Funding Source: Not stated
Lead Author: Nayla Tohme holds a Master of Science in Women's Health from University College London and works as a patient engagement officer at the London Egg Bank, focusing on gamete donation research in the UK.
Regulatory Context:
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is the UK's independent regulator overseeing fertility treatment and research using human embryos.
In 2005, the UK changed its laws regulating gamete donation from anonymous donation to identifiable donation.
As of October 2023, donor-conceived people conceived on or after April 1, 2005, can access information about their donor's identity and request information about the identity of any donor siblings who have also expressed interest in contact at age 18.
Those conceived before the law change in 2005 do not have the same legal right to identifying information about their donors, who were guaranteed anonymity at the time of donation.
The UK has a voluntary register called the Donor Conceived Register (DCR) which allows donors and donor-conceived people from before 2005 to voluntarily register and potentially match with each other.