A SURVEY OF SEMEN DONATION - PHASE-II - THE VIEW OF THE DONORS

This report presents the findings of phase II of the survey of semen d onation commissioned by the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authori ty (HFEA), the purpose of which was to obtain information about the mo tivations and attitudes of semen donors in comparison with a matched g roup of non-donors. A total of 14 centres licensed by the HFEA to cond uct donor insemination participated in the investigation. At each cent re, all men who attended for their first or second appointment between 1st November 1993 and 31st January 1994 were asked to complete a ques tionnaire about the factors which prompted them to attend the centre a nd about their knowledge of, and attitudes towards, semen donation. In spite of the recommendation by the HFEA that attempts should be made to recruit as semen donors older men in stable relationships who alrea dy have children of their own and who wish to donate for altruistic re asons, it remains the case that the large majority of men in the UK wh o donate semen are young single students who are largely motivated by payment. Views on oocyte donation of women who had never donated oocyt es were also obtained, and compared with views on semen donation of a matched group of men who had never donated semen.