title: Anonymity and secrecy options of recipient couples and donors, and ethnic origin influence in three types of oocyte donation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study compares recipient couples' and donors' motivations towards the type of donation and attitudes concerning secrecy or disclosure of the mode of conception in three oocyte donation groups: couples and their donor for a known donation, couples and their donor for a permuted anonymous donation (known-anonymous) and couples without a donor, on a waiting list for a donation (anonymous).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data collected by two psychologists through semi-structured interviews of 135 recipient couples and 90 donors before oocyte donation were analysed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In known donation (42 couples), donors were preferentially family members with a blood tie (54.7%). Choosing their donor seemed mainly for the couple's reassurance rather than to access the child's origins as 50% wanted secrecy. On the other hand, in known-anonymous donation (48 couples), donors were more frequently chosen among friends (41.6%; P = 0.038). These couples were either open to disclosure (45.8%; P = 0.002) or remained hesitant (39.6%). In anonymous donation (45 couples), 49% chose not to seek a donor mostly in order to maintain secrecy towards the child (77.3%). Among the 51% who sought but could not find a donor, only 30.4% wanted secrecy. Recipients from North Africa and from Europe preferred anonymous or known-anonymous donation (83.3 and 75.6%), whereas sub-Saharan Africans opted more often for known donation (63%; P < 0.001). Among Europeans (90 couples), 50% were in favour of disclosure compared with only 8.9% of recipients from North or sub-Saharan Africa (45 couples; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A diversity of attitudes and cultural differences exist among recipient couples and donors regarding oocyte donation; this pleads for maintaining access to different types of oocyte donation as well as for psychological counselling prior to treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fertility Clinic, Erasme Hospital, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laruelle
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Place
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Demeestere
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Englert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delbaere
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D000352:Africa, Northern; D044383:Black People; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000523:psychology*; D003376:Counseling; D003469:Culture; D030881:Disclosure; D005060:Europe; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018587:Oocyte Donation / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology*; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology; D044465:White People