Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Fertil Steril. 2023 Jul;120(1):145-160. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.02.022. Epub 2023 Apr 7.
To explore the factors that influence elective egg freezers' disposition decisions toward their surplus-frozen oocytes.
Qualitative.
Not applicable.
PATIENT(S): Thirty-one participants: 7 past; 6 current; and 18 future oocyte disposition decision-makers.
INTERVENTION(S): Not applicable.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Qualitative thematic analysis of interview transcripts.
Six inter-related themes were identified related to the decision-making process which are as follows: decisions are dynamic; triggers for the final decision; achieving motherhood; conceptualization of oocytes; the impacts of egg donation on others; and external factors affecting the final disposition outcome. All women reported a type of trigger event for making a final decision (e.g., completing their family). Women who achieved motherhood were more open to donating their oocytes to others but were concerned about the implications for their child and felt responsibility for potential donor children. Women who did not achieve motherhood were unlikely to donate to others due to the grief of not becoming a mother, often feeling alone, misunderstood, and unsupported. Reclaiming oocytes (e.g., taking them home) and closure ceremonies helped some women process their grief. Donating to research was viewed as an altruistic option as oocytes would not be wasted and did not have the "complication" of a genetically-linked child. There was a general lack of knowledge around disposition options at all stages of the process.
CONCLUSION(S): Oocyte disposition decisions are dynamic and complex for women, exacerbated by a general lack of understanding of these options. The final decision is framed by: whether women achieved motherhood, dealing with grief if they did not achieve motherhood, and considering the complexities of donating to others. Additional decision support through counseling, decision aids, and early consideration of disposition when eggs are initially stored may help women make informed decisions.
探讨影响选择冷冻卵子的女性对其多余冷冻卵子处置决策的因素。
定性研究。
不适用。
31 名参与者：7 名过去；6 名现在；18 名未来卵子处置决策者。
不适用。
对访谈记录进行定性主题分析。
确定了与决策过程相关的 6 个相互关联的主题，如下所示：决策是动态的；最终决策的触发因素；实现母亲身份；对卵子的概念化；卵子捐赠对他人的影响；以及影响最终处置结果的外部因素。所有女性都报告了一种做出最终决定的触发事件（例如，完成家庭）。实现母亲身份的女性更愿意将自己的卵子捐给他人，但担心这对自己的孩子的影响，并对潜在的捐卵儿童负责。没有实现母亲身份的女性由于不能成为母亲而感到悲伤，往往感到孤独、被误解和得不到支持，因此不太可能将卵子捐给他人。取回卵子（例如，将其带回家）和闭幕式有助于一些女性处理自己的悲伤。将卵子捐赠给研究被视为一种利他主义的选择，因为卵子不会被浪费，并且不会有与遗传相关的孩子的“并发症”。在整个过程的所有阶段，对处置选择的普遍缺乏了解。
卵子处置决策对女性来说是动态且复杂的，这加剧了对这些选择的普遍缺乏了解。最终决策取决于女性是否实现了母亲身份，如果没有实现母亲身份，如何应对悲伤，以及是否考虑将卵子捐赠给他人的复杂性。通过咨询、决策辅助工具以及在最初储存卵子时就早期考虑处置方式，可以提供额外的决策支持，以帮助女性做出明智的决策。
