Oocyte donor screening: the selection process and cost analysis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the selection process and cost of screening oocyte donors. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SETTING: University-based IVF program. PATIENT(S): Potential oocyte donors. INTERVENTION(S): Outcomes of all inquiries by individuals responding to recruitment advertisements for oocyte donors over a 10-month period were assessed. Recruitment and screening costs to bring a single donor into the program were calculated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The attrition rate for each step of the oocyte donor screening process was determined. The costs assessed over the study period included the following: advertisement, administrative, professional, ultrasound, and blood screening. The total cost to bring a single donor into the program was calculated. RESULT(S): Advertisements led to 315 phone inquiries from potential oocyte donors. Of these, a total of 223 (71%) voluntarily withdrew from the screening process, 54 (17%) were screened out for medical or psychological reasons, and 38 (12%) entered the active donor pool. The total cost to bring a single donor into the program was approximately 1,869 dollars. CONCLUSION(S): There was significant attrition in the screening process for oocyte donation that needs to be taken into account in determining the costs of managing the program.