title: Preferences and needs regarding future contact with donation offspring among identity-release gamete donors: results from the Swedish Study on Gamete Donation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the attitudes and preferences regarding future contact with donation offspring among identity-release donors of oocytes or sperm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based fertility clinics in Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 210 women and men were questioned 5-8 years after their donation of oocytes or sperm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires given to donors prior to their donation and 5-8 years after donation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Donors' attitudes and preferences regarding future contact with their donation offspring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A majority of identity-release oocyte (65%) and sperm (70%) donors were positive toward being contacted by an offspring of mature age. More than half wanted to be notified by the clinic when an offspring requested information about them, but about a third were negative toward receiving this information. One in four reported a need for counseling regarding future contact with an offspring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several years after donation, a majority of identity-release oocyte and sperm donors show positive attitudes toward future contact with their offspring. Donors appear to have different preferences for information and support regarding such contact. Fertility clinics and health-care services should provide counseling regarding contact with an offspring to the donors who express a need for this.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: stina.isaksson@pubcare.uu.se.
authors.forename: Stina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Isaksson
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sydsjö
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skoog Svanberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lampic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children / Q000523:psychology; D000367:Age Factors; D001290:Attitude; D003142:Communication; D003376:Counseling; D030881:Disclosure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D018587:Oocyte Donation; D013094:Spermatozoa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement
keywords: Attitude; information disclosure; oocyte donor; sperm donor