title: Egg-sharing, consent and exploitation: examining donors' and recipients' circumstances and retrospective reflections.
abstract: Egg-sharing schemes involve a woman sharing a portion of her eggs with another in exchange for free or reduced-cost fertility treatment and have been regulated in the UK since 1998. However, while being perceived as a unique anomaly (within the UK system) such schemes have caused considerable debate. Some critics have been concerned that the benefit-in-kind (i.e. fertility treatment) offered in exchange for donating eggs might compromise the consent of potential donors, particularly those who have no other means to access treatment, and lead to exploitation and the commodification of gametes. This article reports empirical findings that engage directly with these concerns. First, data on the demographic characteristics, circumstances and treatment outcomes of donors and recipients are presented, followed by data on egg sharers' own retrospective assessments of egg-sharing and their opinions regarding its ethics and regulation. This study shows that, contrary to some expectations, there are very few differences in the characteristics, experiences and opinions of egg-sharing donors and recipients, and also highlights the overwhelmingly positive assessment of egg-sharing by women who have taken part in such schemes.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Family Research, Cambridge CB2 3RF, UK. zbg20@cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: Zeynep B
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Gürtin
authors.forename: Kamal K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Ahuja
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Golombok
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D018587:Oocyte Donation / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010063:Ovum / Q000637:transplantation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014180:Transplantation / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology