‘I feel like they were mine and I should be looking after them’: an exploration of non-patient women's attitudes towards oocyte donation

Abstract

The aims of this study were to qualitatively assess the meaning of oocytes and oocyte donation for treatment and research among non-patient women in the UK using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. This study also assessed the application of components of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) in intentions and attitudes towards oocyte donation. Eight parous and nulliparous women from White and South Asian backgrounds, who reported no fertility problems, were interviewed. Four interrelated super-ordinate themes were identified: (1) oocytes as ‘Just a cell’ and ‘Potential life’; (2) oocyte donation as ‘Altruism’ and ‘Not normal behaviour’; (3) ‘Importance of motherhood’ and the ‘Importance of a genetic link’. Ethnic differences were observed in the final theme (4) which identified the importance of ‘Social Support’ and ‘Reproductive Control’ in women's discourses of oocyte donation. Analysis revealed participant's beliefs and thoughts about oocyte donation were complex, interwoven and paradoxical. Previous quantitative studies that have assessed components of the TPB in relation to oocyte donation have failed to identity important alternative explanations of oocyte donation and subtle complexities in attitudes.