Motivations and personality characteristics of candidate sperm and oocyte donors according to parenthood status: a national study from the French CECOS network

Abstract

Study question: In a non-commercial national gamete donation programme, do the motivations and personality characteristics of candidate sperm and oocyte donors differ according to their parenthood status?

Summary answer: Moderate differences exist between non-parent and parent candidate donors in motivations for gamete donation and representations as well as in personality characteristics.

What is known already: Several studies have analysed the motivations and experiences of oocyte or sperm donors, but mainly in countries where gamete donation is a commercial transaction, and very few studies have reported results of personality traits using personality inventory tests. No study has specifically investigated the motivations and personality characteristics of candidate gamete donors according to parenthood status.

Study design size duration: A prospective study was carried out including 1021 candidate donors from 21 centres (in university hospitals) of the national sperm and egg banking network in France between November 2016 and December 2018.

Participants/materials setting methods: In total, 1021 candidate gamete donors were included in the study. During their first visit, male (n = 488) and female candidate donors (n = 533) completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, their motivations for donation and their representations of donation, infertility and family. Secondly, a NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) exploring the Big Five personality traits was completed online. Results were compared between parent and non-parent candidate donors.

Main results and the role of chance: Altruistic values were the principal motive for donation irrespective of parenthood status. Reassurance about their fertility or preservation of sperm for future use was more often reported in non-parent than in parent candidate donors. With regard to representation of gamete donation or of the family, independently of their parenthood status, candidate donors more frequently selected social rather than biological representations. Mean personality characteristics were in the normal range. Non-parent candidate donors had higher scores on openness and depression than parents, while parent candidate donors appeared more social than non-parents.

Limitations reasons for caution: The personality characteristics inventory was not completed by all candidate donors included in the study. However, family status did not differ between the two groups (NEO-PI-R completed (n = 525) or not), while the group who completed the NEO-PI-R had a higher educational level. This national study was performed in a country where gamete donation is subject to strict legislation.

Wider implications of the findings: In a global context where reproductive medicine is commercialized and gamete donor resources are limited, this study found that altruism and social representations of gamete donation and family are the main motivations for gamete donation in a country which prohibits financial incentive. These findings are relevant for health policy and for gamete donation information campaigns.

Study funding/competing interests: Grant from the Agence de la Biomédecine, France. The authors have nothing to disclose related to this study.

Trial registration number: N/A.

Keywords: NEO Personality Inventory; altruism; gamete donation; motivations; oocyte donation; parenthood status; personality characteristics; social representation; sperm donation.

Figure 1.

Study population of gamete donation candidates. All participants were invited to complete a paper survey at the first visit in the centre and secondly to complete an online survey at home, if possible in the same day. (A) Participants who completed the first questionnaire (paper survey), (B) participants from A who completed the second questionnaire (NEO Personality Inventory online survey) and (C) participants from A who did not complete the online survey. The participants with missing parenthood data were not included in the analyses (*four in A and **one in B).

Figure 2.

Self-representation of candidate gamete donors according to parenthood status (question: which of these qualifiers do you think suits you best?). Data are presented as percentages. (A) Sperm donors and (B) oocyte donors. *P <0.05 and **P <0.01 between no parent and parent donor groups (χ² or Fisher’s exact test).

Figure 3.

Reasons for gamete donation (question: what are the reasons, both direct and indirect, that led you to donate?). Data are presented as percentages. (A) Sperm donors and (B) oocyte donors. *P <0.05 and ** P <0.01 between no parent and parent donor groups (χ² or Fisher’s exact test).

Figure 4.

Self-definition of candidate gamete donors (question: Of the following terms, which do you think best fits the person who donates sperm or oocytes?). *P <0.05 and **P <0.01 between no parent and parent donor groups (χ² or Fisher’s exact test).

Figure 5.

Representation of gamete donation by candidate sperm and oocyte donors. (A and B) Question: what is your attitude to gamete donation? (A’ and B’) Question: what is your gamete donation similar to? *P <0.05 and **P <0.01 between no parent and parent donor groups (χ² or Fisher’s exact test).

Figure 6.

Representation of the family (question: what does a family mean to you?). *P < 0.05 between no parent and parent donor groups (χ² or Fisher’s exact test).

Figure 7.

T-scores of the Big Five factors evaluated by the NEO-PI-R personality inventory. Data are mean (±SEM). *P <0.05 between no parent and parent donor groups (Wilcoxon test). NEO-PI-R, NEO Personality Inventory.

Figure 8.

T-scores of facets of each of the Big Five factors evaluated by the NEO-PI-R personality inventory. Data are mean (±SEM). *P <0.05 and **P <0.01 between no parent and parent donor groups (Wilcoxon test). NEO-PI-R, NEO Personality Inventory.