Would 'all-inclusive' compensation attract more gamete donors to balance their loss of anonymity?

Abstract

The UK Government has determined that children born from egg donation have the same right to know their biological parent as adopted children on reaching the age of 18. There is concern as to the effect of loss of anonymity on egg donor recruitment, since a wait of 1 or 2 years is not unusual even under present circumstances. Some fertility programmes have introduced egg-sharing (involving 'subfertile donors') to circumvent the delays. However, with this method both the donor and the recipient may have reduced overall success. The shortage of sperm donors has led the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to consider increasing the allowable expenses payment and a consultation exercise is underway to review payments and other issues for sperm, egg and embryo donors. Fundamental new initiatives regarding gamete donation need to be implemented to avoid further restrictions on an already unsatisfactory service. An 'all-inclusive' financial allowance is proposed for donors to promote donor recruitment and shorten the waiting time to treatment predicted to increase with the loss of anonymity.