2023 Volume 33 Issue 1 Pages 79-92
The only specific regulation regarding the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) involving egg donation (ED) and sperm donation (SD) in Japan is the ART law from 2020 that defines the parent-child relationship of children born through ART involving ED or SD. The requirements for donors of ED/SD and the right of donor conceived people to access information about their donors are still not defined.
What exactly did people who have received reproductive donation experience? What were their concerns and how did they choose their donor and the country for ED? In order to understand the experiences of those who have a child through reproductive donation, we conducted a web-based questionnaire survey from October 2021 to January 2022 of women who have received ART with egg donation or are currently preparing for it. 19 had received an egg donation and 7 were in the process of preparing for egg donation. We analyzed these 26 responses, focusing on their thoughts and personal attitudes toward egg donation. We divided their concerns related to egg donation into four time periods: 1) before egg donation, 2) post-egg donation, from embryo transfer to birth, 3) during the child's infancy, and 4) later, during the time when the child is capable of understanding the donation process. For each of these periods, we analyzed what concerns were raised about egg donation. Before the birth of the child, concerns were raised about whether or not they would accept the child. After the birth of the child, concerns were raised about the relationship with the people around the child and informing the child about the egg donation. The results suggest that concerns related to egg donation change over time from egg donation to the process of childbirth and parenting.
