. "4 Potential Psychological Risks." Assessing the Medical Risks of Human Oocyte Donation for Stem Cell Research: Workshop Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2007.
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Assessing the Medical Risks of Human Oocyte Donation for Stem Cell Research: Workshop Report
BOX 4-1
Summary of Potential Psychological Risks
Psychological risks to donors can occur in the screening, donation, and post-donation time frames
Screening—psychological distress from being excluded from donating
During donation—psychological side effects from medications and retrieval
Post-donation—worry and regret present for a minority of donors
Long-term follow-up studies of donor health, including psychological health, are needed.
the 21- to 34-year-old age range, which is best for donors. Potential donors then contact the program and are sent forms to fill out providing background information about their medical condition and details about who they are and why they are interested in being an egg donor. Later the recruiter will review that information and bring the potential donor in to talk with her about what it’s like to be a donor and to put her through a medical and a psychological screening.
Statistics show that only about 12 percent of women who inquire about being a donor actually complete the screening process and complete a donation cycle, Dr. Klock said (see Figure 4-1).
FIGURE 4-1 Impact of donor screening on eventual donation.
SOURCE: Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility (unpublished data).