“Egg Donor Wanted”: Social Work with Women Looking for an Egg Donor

Abstract

Women seeking fertility treatment using donor eggs can face challenges associated with recruiting suitable egg donors and negotiating the role that the donor may play in the life of the child. Social work in infertility clinics is an emerging area of practice and social work counsellors have an important role to play with parties involved in the egg donation process. This paper seeks to raise awareness of social work practice with women seeking egg donors, providing an overview of issues for social work practice. Findings from a small practice research project are also presented to highlight the experiences of women advertising for egg donors and to illustrate an empowerment approach to social work practice with these women. It was found that with the support of the social work counsellor, newspaper advertising can be an effective method to recruit egg donors for fertility treatment that allows women control over the process.

Ethical challenges of embryo donation in embryo donors and recipients

“…[ 1 ] The views of embryo donors and recipients can complicate the designing and planning of the embryo donation process[ 7 8 ] and social and ethical complications regarding embryo donation require the determination of its complete meaning from the view of donors and recipients. [ 9 ] The results of previous studies on the attitudes of donor and recipient couples during the embryo donation process have shown that anonymity of the donor and confidence in sharing genetic's history and couples' personality characteristics are more important than physical characteristics, screening tests,[ 10 ] the possibility of future contact with the child, and received fee. [ 11 ] The attitude of embryo donors and recipients can be a foundation for the development of policy-making and decision-making regarding this program.…”