Background: Oocyte donation (OD), a treatment with increasing prevalence, introduces challenges in fertility and obstetric care, including pregnancy complications and psychosocial issues. As numerous healthcare providers encounter OD pregnancies, understanding the perspectives of involved stakeholders becomes crucial for improving OD healthcare management.
Objectives: This study explores perspectives regarding counselling and healthcare of women and their partners conceiving through OD.
Design: A qualitative case study design using a descriptive phenomenological approach.
Methods: Three in-depth focus groups with 13 women and 5 partners, who had experienced OD pregnancy and/or delivery after treatment in either a Dutch or foreign centre, were conducted.
Results: The findings show the significance of comprehensive counselling throughout the entire OD process. Preconception counselling was positively evaluated when various subjects were covered, not only the logistical part, but also emotional impact and ethical issues. However, the study revealed variations in type and quality of counselling provided, depending on healthcare provider. Participants often received contradictory information, and desired emotional and peer support. While psychosocial support was available before OD treatment in the Netherlands, it was often lacking in treatment abroad.
Conclusion: To improve OD healthcare management, participants stated various recommendations. Mostly appointed was implementing a (inter)national guideline, which emphasizes the necessity for standardized and comprehensive counselling and healthcare for women and their partners undergoing OD treatment.
Keywords: focus groups; oocyte donation; patient perspectives; preconception counselling; pregnancy; qualitative research.
What women who conceive with donor eggs and their partners think about councelling and healthcare: A qualitative studyThis study looks at what women and their partners think about the counselling and healthcare they received when having a baby through egg donation (also called oocyte donation, or OD). As more people use OD to have children, it is important for healthcare providers to understand their experiences, especially since OD pregnancies can come with extra medical and emotional challenges. Researchers organized three group discussions with 13 women and 5 partners who were pregnant or already had a child through OD, either in the Netherlands or abroad. The study found that good counselling is important throughout the entire OD process; from before pregnancy to after birth. Participants appreciated counselling that covered not just the medical steps, but also emotional and ethical aspects. However, the quality of counselling varied a lot. Some people got conflicting advice from different healthcare professionals, and many wanted more emotional support and chances to talk with others going through the same process. While mental support was often available in the Netherlands, it was missing in many international clinics. To improve OD healthcare, participants suggested creating clear guidelines. These would help ensure that everyone going through OD gets the same high-quality support and care.